


Road Trip

by lanagotconed20



Series: Road Trip [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Developing Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Road Trips, Romance, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:01:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29111220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanagotconed20/pseuds/lanagotconed20
Summary: Both stranded in LAX airport because all flights have been canceled due to COVID-19, Korra and Asami have to find a way to make it across the country. When Korra manages to snag one of the last rental cars, she decides to offer a ride to a complete stranger. During a week long road trip, they both end up finding a little more than they bargained for. Modern AU, lots of fluff.
Relationships: Korra & Asami Sato, Korra/Asami Sato
Series: Road Trip [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136540
Comments: 71
Kudos: 253





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A few things before we get started! First, did I use Covid as a plot device and then never mention it again? Why yes I did. I want to be able to make Covid just disappear too, so please excuse me while I live vicariously through fiction. Second, what I intended to be a slow burn quickly turned into self indulgent fluff. Sorry not sorry. Third, their relationship develops quickly, completely unrealistically, but they’re ~soulmates~ so just enjoy it. Fourth and finally - hope y’all like it. :)

“ _Attention everyone,”_

Scrolling through her phone to pass the time, opting for Twitter instead of the usual deluge of emails that seemed to assault her inbox with a dreadful sense of perpetuity, Asami hardly even acknowledged the friendly, feminine voice that came over the PA in the LAX airport. It probably had nothing to do with her flight to Atlanta, GA for the business trip to negotiate a new contract with a steel company - Zaofu Corporation - that was finally ready to partner with her at Future Industries, so she only half listened.

Taking a sip of her coffee that she had well earned after her late hours last night at her office in preparation for this trip, she continued to scroll through mindless tweets.

“ _Please be informed that due to a recent spike in cases of COVID-19 nationwide, we have just received word that a federal order has been issued that all flights are to be canceled from here on out across the country until further notice. We are so sorry for the inconveniences this will inevitably cause, and ask for your patience during this time.”_

Asami snapped her head up, sure that she had heard wrong. _All flights canceled?_ Looking around, she saw that everyone around her seemed to be just as shocked as she was.

All flights… canceled. Just like that. All her preparation for this trip, how important it was for her company to make this deal, how crucial it was for the development of her new projects, suddenly seemed to just be another casualty of this cruel pandemic. Really, when would it end? Would the injustices and disappointments never cease?

Unable to argue that the health of people nationwide was of the utmost importance, she found a snippet of understanding and empathy in the back of her mind that allowed her to keep her cool. The majority of her mind, however, was running an intense number of calculations - in true Asami fashion.

Within a minute, she ran through all the variables in her head.

No flight, nor would there be any more flights.

She had to make it across the country. She was supposed to be there in Atlanta for a meeting tomorrow morning, Monday. 

Perhaps if she could find a car to rent, she could make it to Atlanta by the end of the week… maybe. Maybe they could push the meeting to Friday instead.

There was no way she could lose this deal.

First things first: she had a call to make.

Remaining calm, she pulled up an email that she knew contained the necessary contact information to get in touch with the executive she had been dealing with.

A short conversation later, she ended the call feeling relieved. Luckily, the fellow executive - Suyin, she’d been instructed to call her - understood her plight and recognized that it was beyond her control. However, as she had her own deadlines to meet as well and could only extend the contract negotiations for 5 days. That gave Asami time to figure it out - somehow, she could get there by Friday.

5 days to get herself across the country. Easy. Get a car and just drive. She pulled out her phone again to Google the route to Atlanta. 33 hours. _Yikes._ 8 hours a day driving for 4 days - she could do it. Maybe she could even treat this as a mini vacation - listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts that she had long been neglecting. Slowly, a grin replaced the slight frown that had been on her face since she heard the announcement. Maybe this wasn’t such an unfortunate event after all. How long had it been since she had just taken some time to clear her head? She couldn’t remember.

She had to focus. Car. She needed a car. Simple enough. Go find a car.

She’d flown from her home city, San Francisco, to make the connecting flight to Atlanta. Using her own car, or even having her assistant order a car for her, was unfortunately out of the question. The hours it would take to get a car here… no. It wasn’t time she could afford to lose on this tight deadline.

Gathering her things, she managed to arrange her luggage so that it could roll behind her easily. She’d only packed for a few days, but she was resourceful. She’d make do. One suitcase, a backpack with her laptop, various notebooks and paperwork, a book for the flight, and her worn leather jacket was all she had with her. Looking around again, she wondered where the car rental place was in the airport. Surely she could find a sign somewhere.

But as she looked, she realized too late that she didn’t need a sign. All she had to do was follow the people running.

Running in one direction, towards the limited number of cars available to rent.

Thousands of people with canceled flights, a few hundred cars at best.

_Oh no._

Not quite running, but certainly using her long legs to walk with purpose, she took off, trying to keep the panic out of her step.

Surely she’d make it in time… surely.

Because she had no clue what the hell she would do if she didn’t.

——-

“Well, shit.”

Korra ran a hand through her short hair and sighed. She had just heard the announcement that all flights had been cancelled and was racking her brain trying to figure out a solution. She was supposed to be flying home to Alabama today so that she could relieve her farm help tomorrow at the latest. While Korra had taken off to visit a friend in LA, her friend Bolin had stepped up to help care for her many animals and keep things running. He was a great friend, but she doubted that he would be so great as to take on another few days. He had a life to live too, after all.

Fishing her phone out of the back pocket of her jeans, she saw she already had a text from him.

_Hey Kor, just heard on the radio that all flights canceled. That sucks. Figured you’d be calling soon anyway, so I thought I’d go ahead and tell you I can hold down the fort a few days more as long as you don’t mind Opal coming over to stay until you get back. I promised a few days with her, and I figured it could be a compromise where we all win. Lemme know._

Okay, so he was the greatest friend. She typed out a quick reply.

_DUDE you rock. Opal is welcome anytime. Gonna try to get a car and drive back, wish me luck. Probably take a few days but I’ll get back ASAP and keep you updated. Y’all have fun, but just not in my room, okay?_

Korra laughed to herself. She knew Bolin and Opal couldn’t keep their hands off of each other, and while it was cute, she just hoped they’d keep it in the guest room. As an afterthought, she sent another text.

_All good there? Any problems? Naga okay?_

She had made it to the car rental line by the time Bolin replied. Damn, she really hoped she could snag a car. There were already tons of people in line ahead of her, but it looked like she beat the main rush.

_Naga’s fine. Chewed up my boot, so I’ll add it to your tab, but fine. That cow you asked me to give extra food, Peggy I think? Yeah she’s a bitch._

Korra couldn’t stop from laughing out loud this time. Naga, her rambunctious Great Pyraneese, chewed up stuff constantly. She should have thought to warn him, but boots were easy enough to replace. Peggy, on the other hand, was in fact a bitch and she knew it. Ever since Korra had bottle raised her after her mother died shortly after birth, she’d kept a special place in her heart for the cow. She slipped her extra food to show it, even if it did all go to Peggy’s head.

_Lol you aren’t wrong there. New boots, added to the list. Thanks a ton, Bo_

He replied with a cheesy gif of a goofy guy giving two thumbs up. Korra smiled to herself at the resemblance.

Working her way up the line, she saw how incredibly harried the employees were. Understandably so. They seemed to be dealing with a lot of rude people, so she determined in her mind that she would not be another one.

Being a counselor gave her understanding and empathy like that. After all, her low key farming certainly didn’t pay the bills, and she knew she’d always wanted to make a difference in the world. Back in college, she figured becoming a counselor was the obvious choice. She had her hard days, of course, but overall, bringing balance into people’s lives was something that filled her with purpose. Seeing people work through their problems and become better versions of themselves gave her joy.

Finally, she was next in line. As the person in front of her hurried away, she greeted the employee.

“Hello there,” she said while squinting at her name tag - “Zhu Li.”

She saw Zhu Li take a deep breath, smile fixed on her face, ready for another attack.

“Hello. I assume you’d like a car? I hope you’re not needing anything too specific. Pickings are getting slim…” she tapped away at the keyboard and her eyes went wide. “ _Really_ slim.”

Korra offered her a reassuring smile. “I’ll take whatever you have left, please.”

A few more clicks with her mouse, and she reached in a drawer beneath the counter. “I reserved a car for you,” she said while handing Korra a key. “A Honda Civic, two door. Should get great gas mileage, but kind of small.” She looked apologetic, ready for a rude retort from Korra.

_Bless this girl’s heart,_ Korra thought to herself. She decided to leave her with some encouragement. “Sounds great, shouldn’t be a problem at all. Thank you for being so helpful.”

Zhu Li looked a bit relieved at her softer reply. She looked at Korra and said in an exasperated tone, “People are _losing their minds._ There’s only so much we can do. We are just as blindsided as everyone else.”

Korra adjusted her duffel bag on her shoulder while thinking of something to say. “People will always be people,” she started. “But please rest assured that anyone’s negative reaction towards you isn’t really at _you._ Just the situation. So remember that you’re doing a great job, and people’s rudeness is no reflection of your competence.”

Zhu Li relaxed a little at Korra’s words. Sometimes all people needed was a little reassurance. She endeavored to give it at every opportunity. Life was hard enough as it is - might as well make it a little better in the little ways where you can.

“Thank you, Miss… Korra,” she said as she looked at the credit card Korra handed over to her. “Your words mean more than you know on a day like today.”

“As long as you believe them on days like today, that’s all that matters.”

A few questions later for the specifics regarding her rental, Korra was set to go. She offered Zhu Li one last reassuring smile and told her to hang in there. Turning around, she did a double take at the crowd that had amassed all around her. The number of people needing a car today seemed infinite.

As she took careful steps towards the exit, trying her best not to bump into anyone, an employee stood up on a chair and shouted: “Our sincerest apologies, but we are officially out of vehicles to rent out. We appreciate your understanding and wish you the best of luck in finding alternate transportation to your destinations. Thank you!”

Amidst all the swearing, sighing, and shouting around Korra, one desperate voice to her left stood out from the rest.

“No, no, _no,_ ” she heard a woman say. “How am I going to get myself to Atlanta now?”

Korra started to make her way towards the exit again, but hesitated. Internally, she had a small argument with herself.

Atlanta was only a few hours east away from where she lived, almost a straight shot. She could get her most of the way there.

But, a stranger? That she knew nothing about? Surely she had more sense than to offer a cross country ride to a _stranger._

But, wasn’t she trying to pour as much good back into the world as she was able to? Wasn’t that her mission in life, what gave her joy? To help others through their problems?

But, she knew _nothing_ about this woman. Nothing. She could be a serial killer for all she knew.

Korra turned around to consider this woman’s aptitude for serial killing.

Well, she looked friendly enough, but she was certainly dressed to kill. Black skinny jeans, black high heel boots, dark red v-neck shirt, and a crimson lipstick to match had never looked so elegant. On anyone else, the outfit would be considered quite casual, but with her long, slender frame that exuded an unspoken confidence, Korra actually lost her train of thought. Dark, voluminous hair fell all around her shoulders. Even without the heels, Korra was sure that she would still be taller than her.

All of a sudden Korra became too aware of how plain she must have looked in her blue plaid flannel shirt and blue jeans.

Oh well. Comfy and practical was her style.

Korra turned back towards the exit, making one last consideration to just go. As she did, she saw the woman in red sit down in a nearby chair and hang her head, putting her face in her hands.

Korra just couldn’t leave her. Whatever compelled her - her compassion, her want to be a light in this dark world, whatever - she turned around and walked towards her.

The woman didn’t seem to notice her approach. With such a commotion all around them, she couldn’t say she would have noticed either.

“Um… hi.”

The woman looked up. She saw why she had hung her head before - she was trying to hide her tears.

Korra all of a sudden had the assurance that she’d made the right decision.

Looking as dejected as Korra had ever seen someone look, the woman asked her: “Can I help you?”

“Well, uh, I overheard you a moment ago saying that you were trying to get to Atlanta.”

The woman looked at her expectantly, clearly not catching what Korra was trying to say. She decided that maybe she should just be more direct.

“Here’s the thing. I know you don’t know me, and I don’t know you, but I managed to get one of the last few cars available. I’m headed to Alabama, and Atlanta is just a few hours past where I live.”

Korra thought she saw the slightest shift in the woman’s face. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but professional was the closest word she could find. Perhaps maybe a glimmer of hope, but maybe Korra was just imagining it.

“So… you’re offering me a ride? And you don’t even know me?” The woman laced her voice with skepticism. Korra really couldn’t blame her.

“For whatever reason, yes. I am.”

The woman stood back up, almost as if she were measuring Korra up. Not sure what to make of her. Frankly, Korra wasn’t quite sure what to make of her either, but she stood her ground. If this woman said no thank you, then Korra would be on her way, knowing she did the right thing.

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch. Just trying to be kind. I don’t know what you’re trying to get to, but if I were in your shoes, I know I’d be sitting there begging the universe to offer me what I’m now offering you.”

The woman in red considered, unsure of how to proceed. Korra couldn’t understand more. Being a woman, especially a woman as beautiful as she was, constant vigilance was necessary. There were too many evil people with evil intentions in the world.

“How do I know you’re not a serial killer, luring me to your secret lair to have your way with me before murdering me?”

Korra felt herself blush at the “have your way with me” part, but she could tell the woman was trying to be serious, with a bit of levity. She inwardly laughed that they had both made the same drastic possible presumption about the other. Maybe all mothers nailed that into their daughters’ heads at some point.

She decided to tease back, in a way. She smirked and said, “Oh you know, none of us can really know for sure. I mean think about it, I could be asking a serial killer to road trip across the country with _me_. For all I know, once we get to the car, you could seize your opportunity to knock me in the head, throw me in the trunk, and have your way with _me_ at the nearest truck stop.”

The woman’s eyebrows shot up at Korra’s quick counter.

“What’s your name?”

“Korra. And you?”

“Asami. So, Korra, we’re both in the same predicament. Traveling for days across the country with a stranger, no prior knowledge of the other. How do we know we can trust each other?”

“Um… do you need to see my ID? Maybe I can call my mom real quick? I know she’d give me a glowing recommendation.” Korra said with a challenging, lopsided grin, knowing full well that her mother would lose her mind knowing what she was offering to someone she didn’t know.

Asami laughed, and Korra’s stomach fluttered. Was she flirting? Did she want to flirt? I mean, this woman was gorgeous, but truth be told, Korra was still trying to figure out her own sexuality. She had dated guys before, but she knew she thought girls were attractive too.

Flipping her hair over her shoulder in a way that was so graceful it would stop traffic, she gave Korra a solid look over, top to bottom. Korra wasn’t sure if she liked it or didn’t like it. Pretty confident in her own right, she decided she didn’t mind.

“I don’t think a call from your mother will be required,” Asami said as she gathered her things. Wait, was that a yes? She decided to stop wondering and just ask.

“Wait, are you agreeing to this act of lunacy on both of our parts?”

Asami looked her dead in the eye, daring her to look away. Korra didn’t. She noticed that her eyes were green - brighter than any green eyes she’d ever seen.

“I’m desperate, and you seem genuine. I don’t know why, but I choose to see your gesture as kindness instead of nefarity.”

Grabbing the handle of her suitcase, she gestured towards the door. “Lead the way?”

Korra walked on, wondering what on earth they were in for. She decided she wouldn’t mind finding out.

\---------

Asami didn’t know what the hell she was thinking, taking this offer from a complete stranger to take a cross country road trip.

Well, yes she did. As always, she put duty first. And she had a duty to her company to make this deal. After all, she knew she could handle herself. Her confidence and stature tended to intimidate people, not to mention that she’d been in self defense classes since she was young. Even though Korra didn’t appear to be threatening, she did seem capable enough. Nothing Asami couldn’t handle, though. Even if something bad were to happen, she was sure she could outsmart anyone involved if physical force and strategic maneuvering wasn’t enough.

At a first glance, Korra looked kind. She really did. Asami prided herself in being able to quickly judge a person’s character - that’s how she was so successful with her company - and as soon as she looked up at Korra, she felt at ease. She couldn’t quite explain it, but it’s almost like a brightness emanated from this woman. Her quiet offer, to a complete stranger, all bashful like, was cute.

Not only was her offer cute, but Asami thought Korra was pretty cute too. Short, brown hair with bangs messy across her forehead, darker toned skin, bright blue earnest eyes - and she couldn’t quite tell through the flannel, but she thought she recognized some solid muscle definition. Not that she was looking that close, of course. Or… not that she’d meant to.

Even though she felt at ease, Asami had enough sense to test the waters. Looks can be deceiving.

“So…. Korra.”

Korra’s energetic step was easily keeping pace with Asami’s long stride. Usually Asami had to slow her own pace considerably, but she actually found herself having to speed up a smidge to match pace with her.

Korra looked up at her with a soft grin, trying to hide her apparent excitement. She successfully hid most of it, but a spark shined through anyway.

She tried to keep herself from grinning back. Her energy was infectious. She decided to look away to maintain her professional composure.

“How is this going to work? Financially, I mean. Are we to split the cost of the rental, alternate paying for gas fill ups?” In her detail-oriented mind, Asami needed a place to file these questions away.

Korra looked ahead, turning her head in every direction of the parking lot. She glanced down at the small tag on the key in her hand, looking for the specific car that was to be theirs for the week.

She took a moment to reply. “That sounds reasonable enough to me.”

Her brow furrowed in concentration, seemingly getting a little frustrated with herself. Asami decided to ask if she could help. “So, where’s our noble steed for the week?”

“According to the tag, it should have been right over here, but clearly it’s not.” She continued to look all around her, making sure she hadn’t missed it.

Logically, the easiest thing to do in this proximity would be to set off the alarm for the car via the key fob. Asami didn’t think Korra had thought to do that yet. Not wanting to embarrass her, she asked, “Mind if I take a look at the tag? Two sets of eyes are better than one.”

Korra handed them over without even looking at her. She could tell she was starting to get a little antsy.

Asami found the alarm button and pressed it. About 50 feet behind them, tucked in a small corner of the lot that was blocked by a big white work van, a small car blared its horn. Korra whipped her head around, eyes wide in surprise. She looked back at Asami with narrowed, but appreciative eyes, one corner of her mouth slightly upturned.

“Well alright, Miss Smarty Britches,” she said as she started walking towards the car.

“Wait. Britches?”

“You know, like pants? Smarty Pants?” Korra giggled to herself, giving the slightest of shakes to her head. “Guess that’s just a Southern term.”

As they approached the car, Asami remembered to silence the alarm. Normally she would have sooner, but something had kept it from her immediate thoughts. Was it the way Korra had giggled? To say it was adorable was an understatement.

No, no - she barely knew the girl. This was no time to develop a crush. No, efficiency was key here. She had to get across the country. This was business. Korra could be cute without Asami giving it any thought. Objectively speaking, Asami decided to acknowledge Korra’s beauty one definite time, then put that thought to rest. That was possible. Asami had a lot of practice compartmentalizing.

Following her from behind, Asami noted Korra’s broad shoulders, confident walk, and hair that looked so soft she… no. _No Asami,_ she mentally chastised herself. But her walk was…

Nope. Not even putting a word to it to validate the thought.

Anyway.

The car was simple. Silver exterior, black leather interior. Asami noted that it was a Honda Civic EX, a 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder if she wasn’t mistaken. A car like this should get what, 35 or so miles per gallon on the highway?

“Says on the tag it should get 36 miles per gallon. Not too bad!” Korra said this after a short glance down at the back of the key tag Asami had handed back to her.

One off. _You still got it, Sato,_ she thought to herself.

“Okay, so, driving. Do you drive, Asami?”

_Do I ever._ She reasoned a simple “yes” would suffice. No need to fill this stranger in on all the details of her life. They may be friends for the week, but they would keep it professional. No sense in divulging any more than needed. Her thoughts wandered back to her garage, thinking of all her cars she loved to drive. Korra probably wouldn’t care to know anyway.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Great! Maybe we could take driving shifts then? If we average about 8-10 hours of drive time a day, we should get you to Atlanta in plenty of time. It sounds like a lot, but between the two of us, I think we can manage.”

Korra popped the trunk of the car and threw her duffel bag and backpack in. Reaching towards Asami’s luggage without a second thought, she lifted the large suitcase with one arm and secured it in the trunk.

Okay, Asami knew how heavy that suitcase was. She was an efficient packer, but she stuffed that thing to the brim. Lifting it was a two arm effort for Asami, but Korra just made it look easy. She refused to allow herself to be impressed.

“I’ll take the first shift, then?” Korra asked with a questioning brow, headed towards the drivers side.

Asami glanced down at her watch, noting it was 3:47pm. They could drive a few hours and stop for the night in Arizona. “If you feel up to it, I bet we could make it to Phoenix before stopping for the night.”

Korra nodded while opening her door. “Sounds like a plan, Smarty Britches.”

“Surely you’re not going to call me that for the whole trip,” Asami lamented, buckling herself in. Yes, she was smart, and she had to admit it felt nice for it to be seen from someone who didn’t know her background, even over something so small. She knew others considered her a certified genius, but only after they learned her extensive background in both mechanical engineering and business.

“If it really bothers you, of course I won’t.” Korra said while she settled into the driver's seat, getting her bearings for the car. Asami thought about how comfortable Korra must be with her to be already teasing her in such a way. When Korra’s eyes landed on the gear shift between their two seats, she froze.

“Um… so, okay. Looks like this is a manual.” Asami wasn’t fazed in the slightest. She was pretty sure she could drive anything, and she’d spent a lot of time testing that theory.

“Not a big deal for me,” Korra continued. “I drove a 5-speed in college, so I may be rusty but I’m sure I’ve still got it. Do you by chance know how to drive a stick shift?”

Asami stuck with simple. No more information than necessary. “Yeah, actually I can. Shouldn’t be a problem for me either.”

Obvious relief washed over Korra’s face. “Thank goodness. I could have driven the whole way, clearly, but anyone would admit it’ll be nice to have breaks.”

Korra adjusted the mirrors to her liking, buckled herself in, and set the gps on her phone to her home address.

“Where are you from, anyway?” Asami found herself curious. Well, she needed to know where she was being taken, after all.

“Very, _very_ small town in central Alabama. I know you’ve never heard of it. It’s called Lucille. Very rural.”

Interesting. Well, it wouldn't matter anyway. She’d just be passing through.

Korra pressed the clutch, checked her mirrors, and shifted into reverse to back out of the spot. “What about you?”

“San Francisco.”

“Ah. Never been, but it’s on my list.”

Why was Asami wondering how long and extensive Korra’s list was? Regardless of whether she should or shouldn’t care, she found that she did.

Ready to exit the parking lot, Korra turned to her with that infectious energy. Without even realizing it, she grinned back in response.

“So. Every road trip needs snacks, right? Hope so. Because I’m stopping at a station to stock up anyway,” Korra continued. “But I figure in an hour or two we’ll stop for dinner.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

In spite of herself, Asami felt… light. Actually excited for this road trip with this perfect stranger. Whether or not it was the excitement of the unknown, or Korra’s own energy influencing her, she didn’t know.

But really… she was beginning to not mind as much.


	2. Chapter 2

Korra pulled into the cleanest looking gas station she could find, parking next to a pump that provided easy access to the exit. Grabbing her wallet, she looked towards Asami.

“Feel free to go ahead and go browse around, use the bathroom, whatever you need.” Looking through all the receipts, gift cards, and an old driver's license that should have been shredded long ago, she found her credit card. “I’ll get us fueled up here, and then I’ll come join you.”

Even though it was early spring, there was still a nip in the air. Asami grabbed her jacket, nodded at Korra, and headed inside.

After she finished setting up the pump, Korra leaned back against the car to take inventory of her thoughts. Watching the numbers flicker on the screen, she considered what she knew about Asami so far.

First, ever a counselor, she noticed she had a strong guard up. Korra knew that not everyone was as open as she was, and she respected that. But there was something Asami was holding back. She decided to leave it up to her to divulge any information she felt comfortable with.

Second, she had a hunch Asami wasn’t poor. She certainly didn’t flaunt it, but little details gave it away. The Louis Vuitton luggage, for one, but also the way her clothes fit her. Not that she could be sure, but she was well aware that Old Navy didn’t offer that tailored of a fit on anyone. Korra admitted to herself that she noticed the way her clothes hugged her body a bit too closely. She wasn’t sexualizing this new friend of hers in any way - she was simply admiring her beauty.

Because man, she was _gorgeous._ Light years out of her league.

Wait, why was she considering if Asami was in her league? Did it matter? Korra really had to figure that one out. But looking at Asami… figuring it out had somehow become a little easier.

Moving on.

Third, she assumed that from her constant air of professionalism, Asami was probably a pretty high ranked executive at whatever company she worked for. She was probably used to dealing with people more on a professional level than a personal one, and if she did have money _and_ a degree of power, people might be used to trying to take advantage of her, which might explain the guard she had up…

Before Korra could continue to analyze, the pump clicked to signal the tank was full. Clicking “yes” to print a receipt, she shoved it in her back pocket and looked around. Normally she wouldn’t block a pump, but they were the only ones there. She locked the car behind her as she stepped into the store.

She saw Asami already at the register paying for her items. A few bottles of water, a package of mixed nuts, and some protein bars. Korra might tease her a little for being so boring with her choices.

Korra grabbed her road trip essentials - sour gummy worms, sunflower seeds, gobstoppers, a Hershey’s cookies and cream bar, a blue Gatorade, and a bottle of water.

She set her armful of goodies on the counter and found that Asami had waited for her. _Aw, well that was nice._ Well, actually, Korra had the key. What else could the woman do? She made a mental note to stop making sweet assumptions about someone, yes that she found attractive, but needed to remain off limits.

Asami gave her a questioning glance. Korra feigned innocence.

Back in the car, Korra moved her bag of goodies to the small backseat after removing the Gatorade and gummy worms. She noticed Asami put her snacks at her feet, already nibbling on the mixed nuts.

“So, I guess it’s inevitable that we’re going to learn some things about each other,” Korra said while pulling back onto the highway. “Like just now, I’ve learned that you must like to punish yourself.”

Asami whipped her head around, causing her hair to send a whiff of her shampoo in Korra’s direction. What was that smell? Mango? Strawberry? Something fruity. It was nice.

“I beg your pardon?” Asami was clearly trying to gauge whether or not Korra was joking. She’d learn in time.

“Come on. Out of all the selections in that store, you pick mixed nuts and protein bars? How dolefully _practical,”_ Korra dramatically said, throwing her a grin to reassure her that she was in fact just giving her a hard time.

“Well,” Asami was clearly up for a challenge by her tone. “Not all of us can maintain a physique such as yours by eating a bunch of junk.”

Korra turned slightly so she wouldn’t catch her blush. _Oooh,_ she thought. _She must have checked me out too._ She filed that information away for later.

“I mean seriously. Gummy worms? And whatever this blue drink is?”

“Wait, wait, wait. Hold on! I’ll defend my gummy worms’ honor in a minute. You mean to tell me you’ve never had a Gatorade?”

“Well… no, I suppose not.”

Korra clutched her chest as if she’d just been delivered the most dire news she ever heard. Asami cracked a smile. Score.

“No copilot of mine is going to live one more minute without the blessed knowledge of how wonderful Gatorade is.” Korra grabbed the bottle, opened the top, and passed it over to Asami. “Here.”

Asami looked wary. “Oh come on, Smarty Britches, just try it!”

“It’s not that I don’t want to try it,” Asami started. “It’s just… you don’t even know me, and you trust to drink after me?”

Clearly Asami had never shared a communal water bottle with a sports team. Korra gave an exasperated sigh.

“You pose a good point.” She took back the bottle and wedged it between her legs. “I need to ask you a few preliminary questions then.”

Asami might have tensed up a little. “Okay,” she said slowly. “Go ahead.”

“What’s your favorite food?”

“Are you serious? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask that you refrain from questioning my tried and true methods.”

“Fine. Pasta.”

“Noted. And just how often do you brush your teeth?”

“Twice a day, morning and night.”

“Good, good…” Korra stroked her chin as if she had a beard.

“Sweet or sour?”

Asami thought for a moment. “Sweet.”

“And finally, given the choice between a hot air balloon and a plane, which would you choose?”

“Plane,” Asami answered immediately.

“I see.” Korra passed over the bottle. “You passed the test.”

“How even did you arrive at that conclusion?”

“Just trust me.”

Asami took the bottle, and looked over at Korra. With one last encouraging nod, Asami took a sip.

“This is.. huh. This is actually pretty good.” She took another sip. “It’s not like juice, but…” she thought about it. “How am I coming up with nothing to describe it?”

“Exactly!” Korra beamed, taking the Gatorade back from her and taking a huge gulp. “Gatorade is indescribably good. Long workout? Gatorade. Movie night? Gatorade. Road trip? Obviously, Gatorade.”

“So I’m guessing the blue is your favorite?”

Korra screwed the lid back on and set it in the cup holder. Her eyes barely left the road.

“Not just any blue. It has to be ‘cool blue.’ There’s another blue called ‘glacier’ something, but it’s nowhere near as good. But to answer your question, yes.”

Asami looked around outside, and Korra wondered what she had thought about the exchange.

Korra decided to test her to see if she was really as uptight as she portrayed herself. Reaching for the thermostat, she set the dial to 69 degrees, intentionally.

“69 okay with you?” Korra asked, throwing her a quick, questioning glance. She caught the slightest of smirks before Asami regained her composure and muttered, “Sure, fine by me.”

_Aha,_ she thought. _We’ll see if Miss Smarty Britches has a silly streak after all_.

——-

Asami wasn’t sure what it was about Korra, but she felt more at ease with her than she had in a long, long time with another person.

Maybe it was the way Korra didn’t take herself too seriously, redirected a conversation she could tell Asami wasn’t comfortable with, or how she was just so damn easygoing. Maybe it was all of it.

So far, she had told Korra that she worked for Future Industries, but hadn’t mentioned that she was the CEO. She had guessed that she was an executive of some sort, and when she didn’t elaborate, Korra let it pass. She learned that Korra was a counselor, which really explained how she was so perceptive.

3 hours into their drive, she found herself in the middle of a heated debate over a severely important topic: whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza.

Asami, pro-pineapple, rounded on Korra with an undeniable point. “On the right pizza, it adds the perfect pop of flavor! Just the smallest hint of sweet to balance out all the savory.”

Korra was quick to counter, gesturing wildly with one of her hands. “If I wanted sweet on a pizza, I’d get a dessert pizza or something! Pizzas are _supposed_ to be savory.”

She couldn’t help but grin at Korra’s adamance.

“Fine. If we split a pizza at any point on this trip, it will have to be half with, half without.”

“Sounds like a reasonable truce if I’ve ever heard one,” Korra replied. “Speaking of food, you hungry yet?”

“Sure, I could eat.” Asami was actually famished, but she still found herself putting on an air of indifference. No matter how comfortable she felt with Korra a moment ago fighting over pizza toppings, she always seemed to revert to putting a professional mask back on. Can’t be too careful.

“Great! I’m starved.”

“After plowing through all of those snacks, how on earth could you be starved?” Asami asked with a hint of incredulity.

Looking over at her with her big, blue eyes, she said: “Bless your sweet heart, new friend of mine. You’ve seen nothing yet.”

Friend. _She called me “friend.”_ (Not to mention the “bless your heart” thing - was that another southern saying too? She needed to remember to Google the exact etymology of the phrase later.) At first, Asami was a little on edge about making a new friend. But now, she was trying to rationalize how she was going to make it through this trip _without_ making a new friend.

She felt her guard creep back into its protective place. Friends tended to be fickle in Asami’s life, always wanting something from her. But, Korra didn’t even know the extent of her status. She really just seemed to enjoy spending time with Asami as she was.

That was new. And truthfully, she really, really liked it. For now, she told her guard to stand down. Just for now. Just a little.

Korra broke her train of thought. “Okay, here comes a sign with food options…” She squinted and leaned over the steering wheel to catch all the options. Well, wasn’t that endearing.

“McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Subway… _oooooooh!_ Taco Bell!”

The last time Asami had anything from a Taco Bell had to have been her freshman year of college. But as Korra looked over at her, begging with her whole countenance as if she weren’t the one driving and honestly got to make that decision, how could she say no?

“Yeah, tacos would be good.”

Korra fist pumped in the air. Where did this boundless amount of energy come from?

To stretch their legs a little, Korra suggested they eat inside. Asami really had to pee, so she wasn’t about to argue.

Korra stepped into the line and asked, “Whatcha gonna get? You go pee and I’ll order.”

“Um… it’s been a while. Can I trust you to order something good?”

“Oh yeah, for sure! I’m a Taco Bell pro. I got you, I got you.”

Washing her hands, Asami looked in the mirror. She still looked as put together as always, but something was different. She couldn’t quite place her finger on it, but something was off.

Wait, well maybe she did know what it was. She looked like a girl who had been smiling. Truthfully, her cheeks even hurt a little. How long had it been since she smiled so much?

The tiniest of flutters filled her stomach, and she didn’t think it was the hunger. She just felt drawn back out there to her new friend.

Friend. Yeah… friend. It was nice.

When she found Korra at a table, the tray was piled with a complete assortment and two greenish blue drinks.

Before she even sat down, Korra smiled widely at her, like a kid in a candy store.

“Hey! Okay, so, bear with me. It’s not everyday I get to reintroduce someone to the bliss of Taco Bell. Now, I’ll warn you. Pace yourself, Smarty Britches. It takes years to build up a stomach of steel like mine.”

She couldn’t help it - Asami laughed. “And what is this drink you’ve gotten me?”

“Oh my goodness, this is what you call heaven in a cup - a Baja Blast. Try it!”

Korra unwrapped a straw, placed it in her drink and held it across the table to Asami’s face. Thinking she was handing it to her, she inadvertently placed her hand right over Korra’s who seemed intent on holding it for her.

Realizing the slight misjudgment, she saw Korra blush. _She blushed?_

Asami knew she had a certain appeal to both men and women. While her door swung freely both ways in who she was attracted to, she’d never actually dated a woman before. It was just so hard to tell who was out and who wasn’t, and frankly, she’d been too absorbed with work for what seemed like her whole life to even give it a chance.

But, undoubtedly, when her hand touched Korra’s, she might have blushed a little too.

New situation, new friend, new feelings.

Maybe this really was the break she needed.

———

Back in the car, Korra asked Asami to look up hotels in Phoenix. They were about two hours out, but she liked to know where she was headed.

“How can I do anything after all those tacos you just made me eat? I feel like I’m about to pass out into a food coma,” she said while placing a hand on her stomach.

“After this trip with me, you’ll be surprised by what you’ll be able to handle,” Korra quipped back. Wait - was that a flirt? Did she just unintentionally flirt? She _had_ to get a grip on herself. She knew Asami caught her blushing over the Baja Blast. There was no way she could have hidden it. Did she imagine the slight coloring on her cheeks too?

Okay, she needed to rein herself in. She didn’t even know if Asami was attracted to women romantically. Hell, she was still trying to figure out how _she_ was attracted to women romantically. Best to not try to figure that out with someone she’ll be trapped in a car with for a few days.

Asami - thankfully - broke her train of thought.

“Looks like there’s a Holiday Inn right off the interstate,” she said while looking at her phone. “Should be clean, and reasonably priced enough.”

Korra let out a breath of relief she didn’t even know she’d been holding. Asami was clearly a woman of fine taste, so she was unsure of where she was going to want to stay. All Korra knew is that she was certainly on a budget herself.

“That should be perfect!” Korra looked over and gave her a small smile. “Is there a way for you to see how many rooms are available? I’d sure hate to get there and force you to share a room with this hot mess.”

She just called herself a hot mess? Who even was she? Goodness, where had that even come from?

Asami barked a laugh and all of a sudden Korra didn’t feel so self conscious. She really liked hearing her laugh. Something about it made her feel fuzzy on the inside.

“Says there’s quite a bit of room availability, as far as I can see.”

“Cool, cool.”

There was a minute of silence that wasn’t quite awkward, but it wasn’t quite comfortable either.

“Hey, would it bother you if I caught up on some work emails? I don’t want to leave you bored, but these things really pile up after a while.”

How thoughtful. It was nice that she didn’t want her to be bored. That must have meant that surely she’d enjoyed their conversations so far at least. Korra really hoped so, because she couldn’t recall the last time conversation had flowed from her so freely.

Korra assured her that she would be fine and settled into driving, one hand playing with her bangs, the other causally gripping the steering wheel. Without even thinking, she snuck a glance over at Asami. Her face was so focused in the light of her phone, she doubted Asami had even noticed. Out of the corner of her eye though, after she turned back to the road, she saw a glimpse of a smirk on her lips.

Well, shit. She’d been caught. Can’t take it back now - and really, she wasn’t sure she would even if she could have.

Back to driving, she tried to focus. But she found her thoughts kept wandering back to the woman sitting beside her.

———

After they got themselves checked in, they walked down the hallway to their rooms. They were able to get rooms right next door to each other. It was a little after midnight, and they were both pretty tired.

Asami noticed Korra dragging her feet, ever so slightly. _So maybe her energy isn’t boundless,_ she thought.

When they found their rooms, Korra turned to her. “So, I was thinking. We should probably have each other’s phone numbers in case we get separated, or I mean in case you just need anything, or you know… anything.” She rubbed the back of her neck, looking a little sheepish. It was clearly a rational suggestion, but Asami couldn’t help but think in the back of her mind why Korra might have been shy to ask.

“Yeah, totally,” Asami nodded emphatically. For some reason, she wanted to put Korra at ease. “What’s your number?”

Korra gave it to her, and they bid each other good night. When she stepped into her room, she shot Korra a quick text so she would have her number too.

_It’s Asami! :)_

She typed and sent it as if on autopilot. At a second glance, she wondered when she’d started using smiley faces.

_When was the last time you even smiled this much?_ she thought to herself. So she felt the smiley was justified.

A minute later, her phone dinged. It was Korra.

_Just realized we never discussed a leave time in the morning. 8 okay with you?_

She typed out a quick response, more naturally than she thought she would have.

_Sure. Meet in the lobby for breakfast at 7:30?_

Almost immediately, she received Korra’s response.

_Sounds great. Have a good night! :)_

Korra returned her smiley. That made her feel nice. Does she put another smiley on her next text to reciprocate? Or wait, does she not since that would mean she sent two smileys to Korra’s one? As she was debating, she put a hand over her face. What was she even doing? The last time she’d thought like this was in high school.

It felt nice to have a friend. A friend who wasn’t after anything from her. A friend that could be, maybe, more than a friend one day.

She sent her reply.

_You too, sleep tight!_


	3. Chapter 3

If Korra thought it once, she thought it a million times - mornings were evil.

It was 7:20am, and she knew if she was going to make it down to the lobby to join Asami for breakfast, she needed to haul her ass out of bed. So haul ass she did, because there was no way she was missing an opportunity to join her for breakfast.

She slept well enough, though her dreams had been a bit… embarrassing, to say the least. She thanked God that no one had access to her dreams but her. They were innocent enough, but the intimacy that was felt in the dream between her and her new friend was so nice, she woke up grinning. Like an idiot. Who would think that knowing someone for one day would allow her to dream in such vivid detail? Something as simple as laughing together and tucking Asami’s hair behind her ear, holding one side of her face in her hand and leaning in towards those stunning green eyes...

_Well, you did look every chance you got,_ she admitted to herself. Really, she couldn’t argue. Not to mention, perhaps her mind had wandered a bit too far out of the friend zone last night while Asami had answered work emails. She tried and tried to think of other things, but without the radio on to allow Asami time to focus on her task at hand, she’d come up with nothing. Actually, she really liked the way it made her feel when she thought of Asami like that. Warm and cozy, but also energetic and light. She may have indulged, just a little.

It was supposed to be a little warmer out today, so she threw on the jeans she had worn yesterday (since it’s not like they got dirty or anything) and a deep blue v-neck tee. She brushed her teeth, she thought of her dream again, and she subconsciously began to scrub a bit too thoroughly.

_Good gracious, it’s not like you’re going to kiss her good morning or anything,_ she thought while rolling her eyes at herself.

.

Oh no. Now she was thinking about what it would be like to kiss her good morning.

She was going to be red in the face all day, she just knew it.

Throwing all her stuff back into her duffel, running her hands through her hair to get out the tangles from where she slept on her wet head the night before, she ran out the door. But as soon as she did, she walked right back in the room, rummaging through her bag, because there was no way in hell she was forgetting deodorant when she was trying to win over a wonderful woman like her.

Was that what she was trying to do? Win her over? She wasn’t sure, but she guessed she had a few days to figure it out.

By the time she made it down to the lobby, she saw Asami sitting at a table for two, luggage at her side. She was sipping a cup of coffee, looking down at her phone. She hadn’t seemed to see Korra walk in yet, so she stood and - for lack of a better word - admired.

Her hair was up in a messy bun today, but in the most immaculate way possible. Korra thought that there was nothing unintentionally messy about it - it was unlikely that there was one hair that wasn’t exactly where she wanted it to be. Just as yesterday, her makeup was perfect, with a bold, red lip. She wore a cream colored blouse with a red floral pattern, dark blue jeans, and black flats. A single pearl necklace dangled right at the base of her throat to match her simple pearl earrings. Just as yesterday, Korra admitted to herself just how far out of her league Asami was.

She decided then and there that if Asami was playing, she’d be on her team. Questioning over.

Right about that moment, Asami looked up and smiled widely - wider than she had yesterday. That was a nice shift. And for it to be directed at Korra, well - her stomach did a somersault.

“Oh hey,” Asami said as she turned her phone over to give Korra her full attention. “How did you sleep?”

_Dreamily as I ever have, thanks to you._ “Pretty good, actually. How about you?”

“I slept well myself,” she said while she glanced down at the cup between her hands, almost like she was trying to hide a smile. When did she become bashful? Yesterday she was almost all professional, especially before the Taco Bell hand touching incident. But now, she seemed much more open. Korra wondered what might have caused the shift. Maybe she just needed a solid night’s sleep.

_Or maybe it’s me,_ a small voice in the back of her mind whispered. She could only hope, but she dared not to.

“I’m glad you did.”

They looked at each other for a moment, almost sizing each other up in a much different way from yesterday at their initial meeting. Korra was the first to look away.

“So, um… breakfast?”

——-

Asami slept better than she had in a long time. How strange that it happened in a random hotel room rather than in her own comfy bed.

It probably has something to do with her thoughts of the woman in the next room.

Something about her made Asami feel lighter than she had in years. Her head seemed clearer, somehow. At first, she thought herself terribly silly for thinking she could develop such feelings for someone she barely even knew.

As much as she stonewalled Korra yesterday, she intended to do the exact opposite today. Korra seemed to be drawing out the _real_ Asami, and she wasn’t about to stop her. It had been so long since she felt this… free. It was refreshing. Asami wondered if maybe she was having the same effect on Korra.

From the way she stopped in the doorway to look at her, thinking Asami hadn’t noticed her walk in, like Korra wasn’t the _only_ person she was watching for, Asami thought maybe, just maybe she had a shot here. Much like that glance she stole right after she began answering emails last night, Korra thought she got away with it.

Oh well. It was flattering, and a small part of her _wanted_ Korra to keep stealing glances at her. Okay, okay - so let’s call it a bit larger than a small part. A medium part, maybe.

But when Korra returned her good morning greeting with a smile as bright as daylight - Asami knew the part of her that wanted Korra to like her wasn’t small at all.

After a quick breakfast and check out (of the rooms, not of Korra - okay, maybe of Korra too, but no one had a right to look that good in a tee), they were back on the road and on their way. Korra offered to take the first shift again, and since Asami had other things to focus on - like how to take down her guard - she relented, insisting that she drive after lunch. Korra agreed.

_Here we go,_ she thought. _Open up, Asami._

She decided to be as much herself as she remembered how to be. She had an inquisitive mind, so she decided to open with a question.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking,” she started as Korra looked over at her. The way her hair bounced around her face caught Asami’s attention, but she tried to focus. Korra’s eyebrows were slightly raised in anticipation of her question. “But what kind of music do you like listening to? Since we have a long drive ahead of us today, I figured some music would be good.”

“Mind you asking? Asami, you may not get me to shut up about it. Are you sure you’re prepared for the can of worms you just opened?”

Asami giggled, resting her chin on her hand over the armrest, facing Korra with her rapt attention. “Bring it.”

The closer proximity seemed to fluster Korra for just a moment, but she quickly recovered.

“Okay, okay. I mean it though,” she said as she looked Asami in the eyes after she eased to a stop at a red light. She sounded as serious as could be, almost playfully threatening. “Last chance, Smarty Britches.”

Now it was Asami’s turn to be a little flustered.

“Well, if we’re trying to make it to Midland, Texas today, we’ve got about 10 hours for you to talk as much as you want.” Asami hoped she kept the longing out of her voice. Really, she believed she could listen to Korra for that long and still not be tired of hearing it.

By the time they fueled up the car after breakfast and replenished their snack stash (Asami had loosened up a little and grabbed a Reese’s cup), they hit the road officially about 8:30. Driving for 10 hours would put them at their next destination, a local hotel well across the border of Texas. One of the problems with trying to break this cross country drive into manageable chunks was hotel availability.

Korra held her eyes for a second longer than necessary. In that moment with the closer proximity, Asami got a better look at those blue eyes. Was that a fleck of green she saw? A hint of gray, maybe? Before she could know for sure, the light turned green and Korra had to focus back on the road.

“Before I get started, because this is going to be a while, is there any work stuff you need to handle?” Korra pressed the clutch to shift into 4th gear, accelerating towards the on ramp of the interstate. When she glanced over her shoulder to check for oncoming traffic, Asami smiled softly. Korra’s thoughtfulness was becoming more evident by the minute.

“No, actually. Early this morning I emailed my assistant to only contact me with urgent issues that absolutely require my attention. I told her I’d be taking a rare day for myself.” What she didn’t tell Korra was that it was to devote her full attention to getting to know her a little better, and vice versa. She couldn’t recall the last time she had a reason to take a full day off, let alone _want_ to.

Korra brightened up immediately. “Oh, perfect! I’m sure you deserve a good day off,” she said as she settled into the seat to drive. Her left hand loosely gripped the wheel at the bottom, and her right hand rested gently in her lap - but she thought she caught her fingers fidgeting, just a little. Was she nervous? Hopefully in the good, exciting kind of way, like Asami was.

“Here, take my phone. I pay for Apple Music,” she said while passing her phone over to Asami. “So we should be able to listen to anything we want today.”

Asami looked down at the screen and saw a huge, fluffy white dog smiling up at her. “Is this your dog?”

“Yeah! That’s Naga. Pretty much my best friend. I found her as a puppy and couldn’t find her owner, so I’ve had her ever since.”

“She seems adorable.”

“Oh totally! You’ll have to meet her,” Korra said enthusiastically. Then she seemed to realize what she implied - that at some point, Asami might come over to her house. “I mean, if that wouldn’t be weird. Or, if you even wanted to. Unless that’s stupid. I know you’re busy and I know you’ve got a life and all, and… um...”

Without even thinking, Asami placed her hand over Korra’s arm. “I’d love to meet her, Korra.” She wasn’t sure why she initiated contact like that. Something about her floundering made her want to offer her reassurance.

“Okay, yeah. Yeah, that’d be cool,” she said while not moving her arm an inch. _Well, she definitely didn’t mind that,_ Asami thought. A quick glance at her face confirmed her suspicion - that adorable blush was back in full force. Asami couldn’t help but grin.

Her inquisitive, experimental mind kicked into gear. _I wonder what else might make her blush?_ Asami knew where her feelings were headed, but she needed some evidence to be sure Korra was headed down the same path as her. She thought so, but - wouldn’t hurt to verify.

First things first, though - music. Removing her hand, she turned her attention back to Korra’s phone.

She held it towards Korra again. “Do you mind unlocking it?”

“Actually, my thumb print thingy hasn’t been working for ages. I should really go get that fixed. Can I trust you with the code?”

_At this point, you could trust me with anything._ “Yeah, of course,” she said - but then seized an opportunity to tease. “That is, as long as you’ve deduced that I’m not a serial killer, trying to have my way with you before your untimely demise.”

Korra choked for a minute, cleared her throat, then laughed. To Asami’s surprise, she countered. “I don’t know much about you yet, but I’m already pretty sure that very few things could stand in the way of you getting what you want anyway.”

Damn. Now _she_ blushed. She’s not sure when it started, but all of a sudden she realized that she wasn’t the only one testing the waters. If they were to be in a game to see who could fluster who the most, Asami might have to up her game. She hated losing - but would allowing Korra to make her blush _really_ be losing? Felt like winning so far.

Again - back to music.

“Astute observation,” she said with a smirk. “Ready for the code when you are.”

Korra gave it to her, and when her phone opened, she saw the last thing Korra had pulled up was their text conversation from the night before. Had she just not used her phone yet this morning, or had she been analyzing the smileys just like Asami had?

She clicked back to the Home Screen, easily finding Apple Music.

Asami fiddled with the radio for a moment, connecting the phone to the car via Bluetooth. “Okay, got everything ready. What’s first?”

——

By the time they stopped for lunch, Korra had introduced Asami to her favorite band of all time - Paramore.

At Asami’s insistence, they started with their first album, _All We Know Is Falling._ She said she wanted the full musical experience and welcomed all of Korra’s commentary.

They made their way through the next two albums - _RIOT!_ and _Brand New Eyes -_ and Korra was able to hold back most of her useless commentary on how much she loved it, the band’s evolution of their style, the way the layering of instruments got deeper with each album, the lead singer’s vocal range, and more. But when they finished _Brand New Eyes,_ her favorite album of all time, something about Asami’s interest in what she was saying just made her gush. She talked for a solid 30 minutes on how much the album meant to her, how it had gotten her through some hard times, and she felt it was so underappreciated.

No one had ever seemed as interested in what she loved as Asami did. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of that, and honestly it made her feel a little self conscious, almost exposed in a way - but every time she started to hold herself back again, to rein in her excitement, Asami asked a question or offered her an encouraging nod to go on.

Korra was right in her assessment in the hotel lobby this morning - something had definitely shifted in Asami. And at the moment, she wanted to do everything she could to not scare it away.

Other than the brief, accidental finger brush over the Baja Blast, Asami had been careful not to initiate any physical contact yesterday. But after resting a reassuring hand on Korra’s arm this morning, she seemed so much more at ease that she had nonchalantly touched Korra three more times (not that she was keeping count - okay, she _totally_ was). When Korra said something that made her laugh, Asami had playfully slapped her leg as she doubled over. To get her attention to look at a billboard they were passing, she tapped Korra’s arm. And when Korra couldn’t find the hair that was tickling her nose, Asami had reached over and moved it off her face, lightly grazing her cheek as she moved away. That last one had Korra’s cheeks in _flames_.

Since she picked Taco Bell yesterday, she let Asami pick where they stopped for lunch. They had a long drive today, so Asami opted for fast food again to keep things moving. They went inside to order their food to go, taking a much needed bathroom break.

Asami was washing her hands as Korra came out of her stall and met her eyes in the mirror. There was that bashful smile again as she looked back down at the water flowing over her hands.

_Has she been flirting with me today?_

Rationality told her, _duhhhh._ But her insecurity told her, _are you sure?_

Ever trying to solidify her confidence, Korra decided to believe it was flirting. Yesterday she had definitely held Korra at an arm's length - and for good reason, since they didn’t know each other at all - but today, her actions seemed much more inviting. She’d asked Korra a myriad of questions getting to know her, from what her favorite food was (waffles) to her childhood crush (Daniel Radcliffe from _Harry Potter_ ) to her dream job (international liaison for the Peace Corp). Each question she asked seemed to spawn another, and Korra certainly didn’t mind.

As open as Korra had tried to be, she could tell that Asami still had trouble opening up about herself. With her counseling centered mind, Korra inferred that Asami had probably been hurt before and was afraid of being vulnerable - maybe she’d even been taken advantage of. Korra had no intentions of pushing her at all, but she was trying to figure out how she could make Asami feel safe.

Waiting at the door of the bathroom for Korra to finish drying her hands, she noticed that Asami’s tag was sticking out of the top of her shirt. Seeing an opportunity to inflict some blushing back on her - if that was her game, which it sure _seemed_ to be - Korra grabbed her gently by the shoulder and spun her around.

She caught Asami’s eyes go a little wide, and she quickly tucked her tag back down in her shirt.

“Your tag was out,” Korra said with an innocent smile.

“Oh. Thanks,” she said as she turned to grab the door - but not before Korra caught a hint of pink on her cheeks. _Score._ Well, that was encouraging.

Back in the car with their burgers in tow, Asami took the driver’s side.

“You sure you don’t want to take a second to eat before we get going?” Korra started. “It’ll be harder to eat a burger while driving stick.”

In response, Asami cast her a mischievous grin, like she knew something Korra didn’t. “It’s okay, I think I can manage.”

Korra didn’t want to admit that she’d had a clunky start remembering how to drive a manual, but in comparison to Asami’s graceful handling of the vehicle, she couldn’t deny it. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Asami clearly was a better driver.

Once she had maneuvered them back onto the interstate, Korra gave an exasperated huff and crossed her arms. Rolling her head to the side in an exaggerated way, she narrowed her eyes at Asami and said, “Okay, so when were you going to tell me you were an expert at driving? You’ve been holding out on me.”

Asami laughed, and feigned innocence as she batted her eyes back at Korra, hand over her collarbone. “Now I just have _no_ idea what you’re talking about.”

Without even thinking about it, Korra unwrapped Asami’s burger in a way that would make it easier for her to eat it one handed and passed it over. “Yeah, yeah, Smarty Britches,” she said while noticing Asami’s face soften. Was it weird that she had made sure her burger was easy to eat? It hadn’t seemed to offend her, so she didn’t dwell on it.

“So, what else don’t I know about you?”

Asami opened her mouth, then hesitated, closing it again. She clearly wasn’t used to opening up freely. She furrowed her brow, taking a bite of burger to give her an extra moment to think.

Korra decided to help her out the best she could. A long time ago, she’d realized that the best way to make someone feel safe being vulnerable was to make herself vulnerable first.

“You know, I was really nervous chattering away at you this morning.” She saw surprise on Asami’s face.

“You can’t be serious,” she said after she swallowed her bite. “It seemed like the easiest thing in the world for you!”

“It’s easier when you have a good listener, which you obviously were.” Asami had seemed to settle down a bit, so she continued. “I’m always afraid of people thinking I’m too much, so I’ve always held a lot back. It’s rare that I feel so comfortable that I tell someone the story of how I sprained my ankle as a teen because I was head banging too hard to ‘Misery Business’, not due to a sports mishap.”

Asami snorted. “I thought it was funny, but in a cute ‘I’m laughing with you’ kind of way.”

Korra ate a fry, just enjoying the look of happiness on her face. “Asami, I want to be real with you. You don’t ever have to tell me anything you don’t want to or don’t feel comfortable with. I want you to know I accept you as you are.”

Asami’s burger fell short of her mouth at Korra's change of tone. Sometimes Korra didn’t know why she said some things - almost like her subconscious was working for her, feeding her the right things to say at the right times. She’d given in to it long ago, and it rarely steered her wrong.

Something on Asami’s face shifted, like she was cracking a little. The resolve she was clinging to so tightly was crumbling right before Korra’s eyes.

Asami took a deep breath.

“Hey… do you want to pull over?”

Asami glanced over at her. “No, actually driving is something I do to calm down and clear my head. But thanks.”

Korra nodded, giving her the time and space she needed. A few minutes passed, and right as Korra was about to turn on some music, Asami spoke.

“I don’t know what it is about you, Korra. But something about you puts me at ease. I’d be lying to you if I said I knew what to make of that feeling. I don’t feel it very often.”

Turning towards her as much as the seat allowed, Korra nodded in encouragement. She wanted to take her hand to reassure her that everything was okay, but she didn’t want to be too forward. With another deep breath, Asami continued.

“When I told you I was an executive at Future Industries, I wasn’t lying to you. But I also wasn’t telling you the whole truth.”

Korra felt herself unconsciously tilt her head a little, eyes never leaving her face.

“I’m the CEO.”

Well, that explained the religious professionalism. That explained a lot, actually. The guard she held up, the hesitancy, the vigilance. Korra couldn’t even imagine the pressure that must have rested on Asami’s shoulders.

Korra didn’t even bat an eye. “Well, that helps me understand you a lot more now. Thank you for telling me.”

Asami looked confused, but also a bit relieved at the same time. “Korra, when people find that out, it changes the entire way they see me. All of a sudden I’m just some woman with wealth and power, not just… Asami.” Something about her tone sounded so sad. She immediately wanted to take that sadness away - far, far away.

“I can’t imagine the pressure you must feel in that position. Don’t get me wrong, I’m totally impressed, not everyone could handle that kind of responsibility - but I still see you as a person, just like I am.”

She looked over at Korra with questioning eyes, daring to believe how she was taking this news. Korra’s heart ached for this woman, her empathy going haywire. No wonder she held up such a guard. She couldn’t imagine how many people had probably tried to get close to her, just to get something in return.

“Do you feel intimidated now? Knowing this about me?” Her eyes had turned back to the road.

Korra decided to tell the truth too, no matter how much of a dork it made her seem.

“Truth be told, you intimidated me the second I saw you.”

She seemed confused by her response. “You didn’t know my status, yet I still intimidated you?”

Honesty again. “You don’t see yourself very clearly, do you?” Asami let her continue. “Regardless of whatever status you have, you look like a walking powerhouse. Your confidence is so evident to anyone who looks at you. You just look so capable, so strong, but clearly kind. Not to mention you’re completely gorgeous.” Before Asami could catch her on that one, Korra kept talking. “You being a CEO of a major corporation doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. How could you not be successful in whatever you do?”

Asami looked a little choked up. Korra wondered if she had said something wrong.

“It’s just that… it feels so isolating sometimes. I don’t know who wants to know me for just _me._ Usually they just want my money, my influence - it’s always something. It’s taught me to keep a strong guard and skepticism as my two closest companions.” She set her burger down in her lap, wrapping it the best she could.

“I can’t imagine how alone that must make you feel sometimes.”

She looked to Korra, a grateful look in her eyes. Korra wondered if anyone had given her the space to just be herself since becoming CEO. It only made her all the more determined to do so.

She asked a question that she felt was safe. “How long have you been CEO?”

She looked across the car at her, seemingly making a decision. “Since I was 19. My dad got caught up in some stuff he shouldn’t have, and since he was the one who built the company from the ground up, he left it to me when he went to prison.”

She and Asami looked to be about the same age, 25 or so. Korra couldn’t imagine having a company, a whole ass _company,_ handed to her when she was 19.

Before she could respond, she continued. “After my dad went to prison, I felt like the company was all I had left of my family. My mom died when I was 6.” She put a hand over her face. “God, I can’t believe I’m dumping all of this on you. I’m sorry, I should probably stop. More music?” She tried to smile, but it couldn’t have looked more forced.

Korra had no choice now. She took her hand away from her face and held it gently. Understandably, Asami hesitated at first - from the closeness or from embarrassment, Korra wasn’t sure - but after a moment, her hand relaxed in hers.

“I understand that this is a lot of information you’re throwing my way, but I don’t want you to feel any shame in that. We all need someone sometimes to help shoulder the load. You haven’t had anyone do that for you in awhile, have you?”

She gave the slightest shake of her head, tears threatening to fall. Korra gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She saw that this conversation had taken a lot out of Asami and she didn’t want to push her, but she wanted her to talk as much as she wanted to.

“I’m glad you felt safe enough to open up to me. I hope I can continue to show you I can be trusted.” Korra wasn’t sure when she was supposed to let go of her hand. Asami wasn’t pulling away, and she didn’t want her to.

A single tear fell down her cheek, and Asami removed her hand to brush it away. She made it halfway back to Korra’s hand before hesitating and putting it back on the steering wheel.

“I do feel like I can trust you. That’s the weird thing. I’ve only known you what, for like a day?” She shook her head at the incredulity of the idea.

“Who knows, Smarty Britches. Maybe we’re like, kindred spirits or something. If you haven't noticed, I feel pretty chill with you too.”

A grin creeped back on her face. “I don’t mind.”

Korra smiled widely. “If you want to keep talking, please feel free. But I don’t want to push you. I put the ball fully in your court.”

“I think… I think I’m good for now.”

As they passed the signs for food available at the next exit, she saw a Dairy Queen. She had an idea.

“Do you mind taking this next exit?”

“Yeah, sure. Have to pee again already or something?”

Korra rolled her eyes and giggled. “Not a bad guess, but no. I’m treating you to some ice cream. There are few things a Blizzard can’t help.”

Asami looked at her in disbelief. “I just told you I’m the CEO of a multimillion dollar company, and you want to buy _me_ ice cream? That’s a new one.”

“You’re more than a walking pile of money to me. Right now, you’re a friend who is feeling a little rough. I can’t take it away from you, but I _can_ hype you up on some sugar.” Korra wiggled her eyebrows at her for effect.

_Direct hit._ Asami’s face darkened a few shades.

“You realize I could probably buy the whole Dairy Queen chain, right?”

“Well, that would be dope as hell and _definitely_ something you should look into for your own personal gain,” she said as she laughed. “But all I want you considering right now is if you want Oreos or M&Ms.”

She looked at Korra with an excited gleam in her eyes. “Oooh… how about both?”

“ _Now_ we’re talking!”

———

Something in Asami felt alive again.

Just the seemingly small act of opening up, trusting someone - even though that was a _huge_ feat for her - made her feel brand new. Refreshed in ways she didn’t even know she needed.

After the Blizzard stop (Korra was right, it really did help), the rest of the drive to the hotel flew by. Asami was enjoying the drive, so she offered to stay behind the wheel. Korra had relented, looking Asami straight in the eyes to make sure she was clear that if she were to get the slightest bit tired, to pull over and Korra would take over.

Those eyes. Each time she looked, they became a little more mesmerizing. There was such a genuineness behind them that was hard to believe was true.

The way Korra unwrapped her burger for her, the way she held her hand, bought her a blizzard just to cheer her up, and then becoming her personal DJ, doing everything she could to make her laugh - Asami just wasn’t used to being cared for. Sure, she had assistants, housekeepers, and cooks - but this felt entirely different. She really felt like Korra cared about her, even after just this short amount of time they had together.

Maybe she was onto something with the whole “kindred spirits” thing. Asami had never clicked with someone more in her life, and that made her feel both frightened and exhilarated at the same time.

Asami _might_ have snuck a little over the speed limit, so they made it to Midland, TX in record time. Pulling into the parking lot, she realized that they had been so caught up talking together that they’d completely forgotten to stop for dinner.

Apparently Korra had that same thought at the exact moment she did.

“Okay, I googled a local pizza place that delivers to this hotel,” she muttered as she looked down at her phone, thumbs tapping away. “Annnnd….. done. Half pineapple/half _right_ pizza will be here in about a half hour. That should give us enough time to get settled in and shower, don’t you think?”

She ordered them a pizza. Man, Asami really wasn’t used to being treated so often. She made a mental note to leave a generous tip. “I’m going to _completely_ disregard your diss on my pineapples for your own safety, but yes. Sounds great.”

Once they got checked in (rooms across from each other this time), Korra said she’d add a note to the order with her room number.

“Ah, actually would you mind putting my room number instead? I’d like to leave the tip.”

“Honestly woman, you don’t have to do that!” Korra said while shooting her a stink eye, doing her best to stifle a grin and failing.

“No, no, I want to! Pleeeease?” She wasn’t even sure what she’d done, but something about the way she said it seemed to completely disarm Korra. She wasn’t sure who was winning in this little blushing game of theirs, but she didn’t even mean to make her blush this time. But somehow, she did.

Korra put a hand on the back of her neck, looking down the hall to collect her composure. “Yeah, okay, sure.” She turned back to Asami. “I’ll come over to your room in about 20 minutes then?”

“Um, let’s make it 30?” Asami was fairly self aware of how long her showers took. Not to mention if she had to look presentable for Korra, too.

“Deal. But comfy, okay? At least, I’ll be coming comfy,” she said as she slid her key card into the door.

Asami nodded while opening her own door. She stepped inside and took a deep breath. She was really going to have to expedite her routine here.

On your mark, get set, _gogogogogo._

Truly, she had never showered faster in her life. Not a moment too soon, she wrapped her hair up in a towel and put on her pajamas (Korra did say comfy, but at least she had a matching set) as a knock came at the door. She pulled a $100 out of her wallet and wrapped it in a few one dollar bills. She learned that the longer it took people to realize how generous of a tip she left, the fewer times she’d have to justify it.

Setting the pizza on the dresser, she looked in the mirror. Makeup, no makeup - that was the question. She could apply a little bit, but then she’d just have to wash her face again after Korra left.

Comfy. She could be comfy. She didn’t think Korra wore much makeup at all anyway, so what did it matter? She’d already exposed her heart today. May as well expose her face too.

As she was brushing through her wet hair, she heard another knock on the door and tingled a little inside. Yeah, that was definitely new, but she was finding that she welcomed it.

She opened the door and Korra stood there holding an armful of drinks. She was in a simple, white tank top and bottoms that had cartoon horses in boots all over them that had little sayings like “gotta get my BOOTY sleep” all over them. Just as she was about to pick fun at Korra for those, she fully took in the sight before her.

Bronze, smooth skin was all she could see. Muscles that looked so strong but so feminine at the same time riddled her frame. With her wet hair tucked behind her ears, framing her face, she was the most naturally beautiful woman she had ever seen.

Asami hasn’t even realized that she had been holding a breath, but it looked like Korra was having the same problem.

As Korra cleared her throat and looked down at her bare feet, Asami mentally marked a solid point for each of them.

“I found a drink machine down the hall,” she said as she stepped through the door Asami held open for her. “I remembered how you usually prefer water, but you got a coke today too, so I went ahead and grabbed both. I’ll take whichever you don’t.”

When was the last time someone had noticed something so small about her? Asami felt so soft she could melt.

“That’s really nice of you. I’ll take the water, please.” Asami turned around to open the pizza box. “Come on over and help yourself.”

Asami may or may not have flipped her hair over her shoulder as she said that. It wasn’t necessarily to make herself alluring, but she _had_ caught Korra admiring her neck more than once today. She’d have to remember to wear it up more often.

Korra sensed her game, because she one upped her somehow. “I’ve got a better idea. Make yourself comfortable!” Reaching around her in all her tan, muscled glory, she grabbed the pizza box and plopped it on the bed. Walking over to the corner of the room, she pulled the chair up.

_I see how this is going to be,_ Asami thought to herself. She noticed that they must both have a competitive streak, and this unspoken game of theirs had resumed in full swing apparently.

Game on.

Without any hesitation, Asami crawled across the bed and propped herself against the headboard. “Hey, that chair looks terrible. Why don’t you join me up here? We can find a movie to watch if you want.”

Even though she said it casually enough, she saw Korra draw a breath. Looking at her in that tank top that hugged her in all the right places, she wondered if Korra’s thoughts were getting a little muddled too. She wondered if her pajamas - just a maroon classic top and bottom set, albeit silk - were having any kind of affect on her. She kind of hoped so.

As casually as she could, she situated herself right on the edge of the bed, pizza box between them. With a sideways glance, she saw how nervous Korra looked.

_Poor thing_. She thought now was a good time as ever to bring up her goofy pants. Flipping through the channels on the tv, munching on a slice of pizza, she tried to distract Korra in all the ways she truthfully didn’t want to. Another form of distraction would have been much more fun. She needed to get her own mind under control, because this game could turn dirty real quick - in more ways than one.

“Nice pants. Real hot.”

Korra gave a relenting nod and gave a cheesy smile. “Wasn’t exactly planning for anyone else to see them on this trip, but I _did_ say comfy - so I kind of left myself no choice. Christmas present from my mom,” she said while gesturing to her legs. “But these have pockets, which makes them awesome, regardless of the corniness of them.”

With a half laugh, Asami quickly concurred. “Oh yeah, anything that has pockets is clearly superior. I think they’re endearing anyway.”

Korra looked over at her, and she was unable to read her face. Contentment? Playfulness? Both?

Before she could draw a conclusion, she flipped past a channel playing _You’ve Got Mail_ with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. It was the last few minutes, so she kept flipping through, even though she could quote the movie by heart.

“Oh wait! Go back please?” Korra’s sudden enthusiasm almost startled her, but she did as she was asked.

“This movie is one of my all time favorites,” Korra said while taking a sip of her coke. It was the end scene where they finally got together, and she looked over at Korra as she was mouthing the words: “ _I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly.”_

So this was one of Korra’s favorites, too. The knowledge made her feel warm inside, like she was being wrapped up in a blanket fresh from the dryer.

“Sorry,” she said with a sheepish smile. “That scene just never gets old. Gets me in all my feels.”

“Actually, it’s one of my favorites too.”

“No way! But for good reason,” she said through a mouthful of pizza. “Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan? Hard to find a better rom com duo than them.”

When she looked down briefly at Korra’s tank top (it was hard not to look, okay?) she noticed something on her chest, right below her left collar bone. Was that a tattoo?

She looked a little more closely, not caring that Korra noticed and blushed _hard._ She leaned across the pizza box for a better look. It was a soft yellow sun, partially hidden by the thick tank top strap. It somehow blended so well with her tan skin that you’d hardly even notice it was there.

Seeing what Asami was looking at, Korra explained while moving her strap to the side so she could see it better. “I’ve always loved the sun, as in the actual sun, but also symbolically and what it means to me. Just being a light in this dark world, bringing warmth to people wherever I can. I dunno, I didn’t want it to stand out too much but I’d wanted it for a while. So last year I finally went and got it.”

Asami didn’t realize just how close she’d gotten until she felt Korra’s breath on her cheek. Oops.

Well, while she was here - was it too soon to make a move? Deliberating in her head, Korra beat her to the punch. “Here,” she said while she grabbed Asami’s hand, guiding her fingers to the tattoo. “I don’t mind, since clearly you’re pretty curious about it.”

Asami lightly traced her fingers over it, admiring how smooth her skin was. She may have felt her skin go up a few degrees, and when she glanced up, she saw Korra’s face was as red as she’d ever seen it, clearly _very_ nervous but trying to act cool. She really couldn’t blame her. Asami was getting close to losing her cool herself.

Slowly, she pulled away and righted herself back into a sitting position. “I like it,” she said while turning her head back to the tv. “It suits you really well.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Korra draw a deep, slow breath. “Thanks,” she breathed out on the exhale.

They found an old episode of _The Office_ to watch while they finished their pizza. When there was nothing left but a few pieces of crust (really, where did Korra put it all? She picked the pineapples off and finished what Asami couldn’t), Korra got up and stretched.

“Same plan as tomorrow? Breakfast at 7:30?”

Asami stifled a yawn and gave Korra a smile. “Sure thing.”

Korra hesitated by the door, hand on the handle.

“Well, um… sleep tight.”

“Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

With one last small smile, Korra headed back to her own room.


	4. Chapter 4

_Something aroused Korra from her sleep. She opened her eyes, and she was at home in her own bed. Soft light from the rising sun lit the room, and she could faintly hear the birds chirping in the trees outside._

_She felt light fingers tracing lines across her chest - over her tattoo._

_She looked over to see Asami, propped on her elbow, smiling softly down at her. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”_

_***_

Korra woke with a start, getting her bearings. She reached over to the nightstand to silence the alarm on her phone.

Laying back on the pillow, running her hands over her face, she wondered what the hell she had just dreamed. But… she kind of wanted to remember it, to reimagine every detail so that she could solidify it in her mind. She knew she dreamed with her emotions sometimes, but that dream had felt so _real._

With a hearty sigh, she admitted it. She _wanted_ it to be real.

As she threw the covers back, she stretched out her legs before she stood up. Gathering her thoughts, she wondered where she and Asami stood after the weird - but not even _that_ weird at all, surprisingly - intimacy of last night.

She decided to assume that they stood where they always had - two new friends, hanging out while trying to get themselves across the country. Friends. Friends becoming better friends, but friends.

That dream kind of indicated that Korra wanted to be a little more than friends though.

Aside from the obvious that they barely knew each other, Korra had to face another reality. Did Asami even like women? Her flirting seemed to signal that she did, but what if she was just a natural flirt? From what she knew about her, that didn’t seem to be the case. But Korra couldn’t deny it. There was _something_ growing between them.

Her counselor self reminded her - direct communication is often best. So steeling her nerves, she made the decision that today, she was going to find out. What did she have to lose?

When she stepped into the breakfast area of the lobby, she saw Asami sitting at a table for two again, brow furrowed in concentration at her phone. Looking at how fast her thumbs were typing, it appeared that she was trying to hurry. This morning, though, there were two cups of coffee in front of her with several creams and sugars.

As Korra walked up, she smiled and said the most suave thing she could muster: “Good morning.”

Asami’s entire countenance became lighter at Korra’s voice. “Oh hey Korra,” she said while setting her phone down. The screen was still on, and Korra saw an unfinished email being typed out. “You look nice.”

Korra looked down at her light blue striped sweater. It was one of her favorites, and she was happier than she should have been that Asami noticed.

“Thanks, you’re looking pretty snazzy yourself.” _Snazzy? Oh come_ on, _Korra._ But Asami really did look beautiful. Wearing a soft pink button down blouse, her lighter toned skin couldn’t have been complemented more.

Asami’s eyes crinkled with her smile. “I got you a coffee too, but I wasn’t sure how you take yours,” she said as she set the coffee down in front of Korra and slid the condiments over to her.

“That’s really sweet of you,” Korra tried to express her thanks at her thoughtfulness without being too thick. “Just in case you ever see it as a question on Jeopardy, I like two creams and one sugar.”

Tapping a finger to her forehead, she nodded. “Duly noted.”

After she finished stirring her coffee, Korra gestured to Asami’s phone. “How about I grab us some breakfast while you finish up what you’re working on?”

Asami hesitated. “You’re sure you don’t mind? I shouldn’t be but another minute or two.”

“Go ahead. I got this!” Korra said while energetically spinning around. With a grateful smile, Asami went back to her email.

A few minutes later, Korra came back with two gargantuan waffles, piled high with butter, syrup, blueberries, and a big pile of whipped cream on top.

“I swear, I’m going to gain 10 pounds on this trip with you,” Asami said while cutting off a bite. “How do you stay so fit anyway?”

Korra swallowed her bite and took a sip of her coffee. “Well, living on a small farm requires you to stay pretty active if you want to keep it up properly. And I do enjoy working out when I can. It’s a stress reliever for me.”

Asami shot her an appraising glance. “I can respect a hard worker.”

Before she even realized it, Korra launched into describing what it was like to live on a farm. Taking care of the cows, horses, and chickens, cutting, bailing, and hauling their own hay, and tending a large vegetable garden in the summers. Asami listened intently while she ate her waffle.

Down to her last bite, Asami said, “Man, and I just thought I worked hard. I got tired just listening to you talk about all that.”

“It’s fulfilling, in a way. The honest work. Seeing the fruits of your labor,” she said as she noticed Asami’s last blueberry. “And speaking of fruit…” Korra snagged the blueberry off her plate and popped it in her mouth before Asami even realized what was happening.

“Hey!” she said while trying to look offended. “Who gave you the right to my _last_ blueberry?”

Korra gave her a smile as sweet as the syrup, with the slightest of hints at flirtation. “Oh, you can just say I owe you then. You can decide how I can repay you later.”

Asami’s eyes went wide but she didn’t say anything. As Korra grabbed their plates to throw away, she thought she heard Asami mutter what she assumed was too low for Korra to hear: “Oh, don’t think I won’t.”

Signs were pointing in the direction of Asami being into her too, and Korra felt like doing backflips.

———-

Back in the car, Korra took the driver's side this time. “We can swap around Dallas if you want.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Asami responded while adjusting her sunglasses. Their plan was to make it to Shreveport, LA today, which was totally doable. They got back on the interstate by 8:15am, so if all went according to plan, they should be there around 4:00pm. The trip was going smoothly so far, and Asami was still set for her 1:00pm meeting with Suyin on Friday. They both agreed that an evening doing something other than driving sounded nice. Asami had an idea, but she wasn’t sure how Korra would feel about it. Couldn’t hurt to ask.

“So,” she began while looking over at Korra. “I don’t know about you, but I think I’m ready for a good meal. What do you say we go to a sit down restaurant tonight for dinner?”

Korra nodded emphatically, drawing out each syllable. “Ab-so-lute-ly.”

_So far so good,_ Asami thought. It’s not like she had a romantic evening planned or anything (not that she hadn’t been thinking about what a romantic evening out with Korra would be like, let’s get real), but a quick google search presented several good options for slightly finer dining than Taco Bell. “Do you like steak? I found a steakhouse near the hotel that has pretty good reviews.”

Korra brushed her bangs out of her face before throwing Asami an approving look. “Do I ever. Let’s go!” Then, she saw some hesitation cross her face. “Okay, I gotta ask or I’ll worry about it all day. I know you’re a Smarty Britches, that has been well established. But I also know you to be a Fancy Pants too. I don’t know what kind of place you have in mind, and I do have a dress with me, but…”

Asami could see where Korra was going with this and immediately wanted to put her at ease. “I hear you, but don’t worry,” she said while putting her hand on Korra’s arm. “The place seems pretty casual. I’m sure you’ll look great in anything though.”

_Okay Asami, remove your hand. Don’t make it weird._ But it _didn’t_ feel weird. It didn’t seem to be weird for Korra either, because she relaxed at her touch. That gave Asami a feeling she didn’t quite know how to put words to.

Reluctantly, she did remove her hand and she caught Korra glance down to watch it go.

Korra gave her a small nod. “Okay, yeah. Good. I’m looking forward to it.”

“So, whose turn for music is it?” Asami asked while picking up Korra’s phone. It barely even registered with her how normal she felt doing this, putting in the passcode, and opening up Apple Music.

“I think it’s yours, actually.”

Asami thought for a moment, then typed in what she felt like listening to. On some level, she realized that she wanted to share this with Korra.

“Blue Moon” by Glen Gray started to play, and Korra made an approving face and started nodding her head to the beat.

“Old jazz. I like it. What is this, 1930s? 40s?”

“Mid 30s, I believe.” Asami rested her head back on the seat and took off her sunglasses, closing her eyes.

Korra moved her hand to the gear shift, even though there was no need for her to shift for a while. She didn’t say anything, but Asami could feel her concern.

In Asami’s mind, she saw her mother, dancing with her around the living room as the old vinyl spun on the record player. She could almost smell the casserole she and her mother had made as it baked in the oven, and could almost feel the anticipation of seeing her dad walk through the door from work.

“This song means a lot to you.” Korra said softly. It wasn’t a question.

As always, she let Asami lead. She was coming to truly love that about her, how she made herself so open and available, but never pried. She gave Asami whatever space she needed to be herself, and she realized how rare it was that she’d found this trait in another person.

Asami decided then that she didn’t want to lose it.

Asami looked down at Korra’s hand. “Can I borrow this? It’s almost like you lended me some of your strength yesterday. I want to tell you about it, but… I could use some help.” It didn’t matter to her that she blushed while she asked. It did matter to her, however, how willingly Korra placed her hand in Asami’s and rested it in her lap.

Korra looked to her with the softest expression on her face. “Take all the time you need.” Then, she tried to hide a smirk. “And if you change your mind, I won’t even take you borrowing my hand as repayment for the blueberry. It can just be a freebie.”

Asami realized she was trying to give her something light to grab onto in the midst of Asami’s clearly heavier thoughts. “How generous of you, thank you.” She had no intention of letting go of Korra’s hand as long as Korra was comfortable keeping it there.

Another minute passed, and the song ended. The next song on the album played, but she wasn’t as familiar with it.

“It’s a song that I associate with my mother.” Korra’s hand tightened around hers, but she didn’t say a word, letting Asami get out her thoughts. “She died when I was so little, I try to hold on to the little memories I have of her.”

Korra nodded in understanding. “This must be incredibly hard for you to talk about.” She hesitated, but it’s almost like she sensed the gentle push Asami needed. “How did it happen? And if that’s too personal, don’t even acknowledge the question and we can move on.”

Asami drew a deep breath. “No, it’s okay. It’s hard to talk about, but I had to face the reality of it long ago.” She studied Korra’s hand as she spoke. It looked so soft, but so sturdy at the same time. “One night, our house was robbed. My father told me to hide upstairs, and I did. I heard so much shouting, I just got scared and went to the stairs to find my mom. Right as I was halfway down, the man pulled a gun and shot her.”

Korra turned her blinker on and looked over at her blind spot. What was she doing?

_She was pulling over._ Making a point to keep Asami’s hand in hers, she used both of their hands to downshift to a stop. After she turned on the emergency flashers, she took Asami’s hand in both of hers.

“Korra, really. You don’t have to do this, it’s okay.” She almost felt embarrassed.

“ _Asami.”_

She didn’t think she had ever heard her name more beautifully spoken. Korra’s face was the perfect picture of genuine concern and support.

She continued after a moment. “I can’t believe how much it must pain you to talk about this. And the fact that you’re trusting _me_ with it deserves my undivided attention.”

Those eyes. Damn, those _eyes._ Looking that way at _her._

So, she did what any sane woman would do. She kept those eyes on her and kept talking.

She’s not sure how long they talked, but she couldn’t believe how good it felt to talk to someone who cared. Korra was the perfect listener. Whenever Asami started to get choked up, Korra traced small circles across the back of her hand to comfort her. When her tears did fall, she took the sleeve of her sweater and dabbed them away. Somehow, Asami knew that if she showed the slightest bit of discomfort at Korra’s caring actions, Korra would have backed away immediately and with no offense taken.

Never once did she want her to.

Once Asami felt talked out, Korra made sure she was okay, and got them back on the road. She kept her hand on the gearshift, almost as an open invitation for Asami to just grab it if she needed it. Not wanting to take advantage of Korra’s kindness, she let it be. But that didn’t keep her from remembering how nice it was for her hand to be held.

——-

Even with their unplanned stop, they still made it to Shreveport around 5:30pm. Asami had made a quick call to make a reservation at the restaurant for 7, so they had plenty of time to get ready.

The rest of the ride had been a complete blast. Korra must have known that Asami needed cheering up, so she gave her specific songs to play across various genres, from “Yeah” by Usher, to “One Week” by the Barenaked Ladies, and to “Ice, Ice, Baby” by Vanilla Ice. Not to mention corny old country songs, like “Why’d You Come In Here Lookin Like That” by Dolly Parton and “Talk About Me” by Toby Keith. Somehow, Korra sang them all perfectly and with such goofy energy that Asami couldn’t help but join in with a few guilty pleasure songs of her own (“Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira had previously only ever been sung by Asami, very much alone, in the shower).

When they walked up to the check in counter, the employee casually said, “I’m so sorry, but it looks like we have only one more room available. Will that be a problem?”

Before Asami could turn around to check with Korra, she thought she heard her whisper, “Ohmygod so this _doesn’t_ just happen in bad fanfictions…” but by the time she looked at her face, she was the picture of nonchalance. “Is it a room with two beds? I don’t want to make my friend uncomfortable,” she said to the employee.

Another glance down and the employee confirmed. “Yes, it looks like there are two queen sized beds.”

Asami gave her a questioning look, and Korra shrugged. “I’m good with it if you are.” Asami nodded and handed the employee her credit card.

Korra started rummaging through her bag. “Here, how much was it? I’ll pay half.”

Asami leveled a look at her. “Oh, get real,” and then she laughed. “I got this one.”

With a grateful look, Korra gave her upper arm a squeeze before she grabbed Asami’s bag. “Fine, but that means I get to carry your bag to the room.”

Asami rolled her eyes, but allowed it. It was sweet.

Once they got settled into their room, Asami suggested that they start to get ready for dinner. She offered Korra the bathroom to freshen up first, but Korra insisted she should be okay without it. “I can get myself ready out here,” she said while she took off her sweater.

What the hell? Korra was stripping down _right in front of Asami._

Asami should have given her privacy, but she would be lying if she said she looked away. Simple, navy blue underwear fit snugly over Korra’s breasts and rear. Asami noted how good Korra looked in the little boy shorts before taking in her perfectly contoured abs. She wasn’t ripped by any means, but her muscles were certainly… _defined._

Korra threw her dress on and smiled at Asami before the realization of what she’d just done hit her like a ton of bricks. Horror plastered her face as she tried to hide her face with her hands. “ _Oh dear god._ What did I just do? I’m _so sorry Asami.”_ She looked like she was about to bolt from the room. “ _Please_ understand - I played so many sports I practically grew up in a locker room, and you just get so used to changing in front of people, and I promise I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, and _that was so stupid_ and I guess I just feel so comfortable around you, but -“

Asami cut her off as she doubled over with laughter. Relief, but also confusion, washed over Korra’s face. Asami couldn’t help it - the situation was hilarious and clearly innocent. She’s pretty sure that if Korra were trying to impress her or make a move, she would have done so with much more confidence and direction in her intentions.

Asami was evil, and she just couldn’t stop herself. “Korra, you have a really nice ass.”

Korra groaned with humiliation. “ _Asssamiiii noooo,_ ” she said as she fell over on the bed, covering her face with a pillow.

Unable to stop laughing, she hit Korra one more time. “I didn’t know I was getting dinner _and_ a show tonight.”

Korra lifted the pillow just enough to glare. “Hey. I work hard for my nice ass.”

“I’m sure you do,” Asami giggled as she shut the bathroom door to get ready herself.

———

Korra could have died then and there and that would have been okay.

How did that even happen? She knew she felt comfortable with this woman, but _damn,_ not comfortable enough to give her a freaking peep show yet.

_Yet_? Before Korra could explore that thought (it was looking to be a fun one), Asami stepped out of the bathroom.

She looked _radiant._

She was wearing a bright red, sleeveless, A-line dress that fell right above her knees. With her black flats and the pearl earring/necklace set that she had seen her wear the day before, she had dressed the dress down as much as she could. It didn’t look like Asami had done anything with her hair other than let it be, so it flowed freely around her shoulders.

Korra just stared. She couldn’t help it.

“Korra,” she said as she looked over at her. “You’re staring, and I’m not even the one who just bared all.”

“Hey, I didn’t bare _all,”_ she defended herself, but blushed all over again. “If I had, I think you’d definitely be the one staring at me though, right?”

Asami didn’t disagree with her. She turned around. “You look beautiful.” Korra could tell she was trying to keep her tone light and casual, like she was complimenting a friend. But Korra heard something else there - was that, could it be - _desire?_

Korra gave herself one more look over in the mirror. She was never one for much makeup, but she had put on some mascara. Her dress was simple enough, just a long sleeved swing dress, navy with cream colored flowers. She was wearing her favorite brown booties, and she figured the outfit went well enough.

Asami looked at her again, getting a mischievous look in her eye. “Hey, do you mind if I try something?”

_Anything at this point, sure._ “Yeah, sure. What do you have in mind?”

She started to rummage through her makeup bag. “Pucker up.”

Korra couldn’t hide the shock on her face and Asami laughed. “No, silly, not like _that,”_ she said as she held up a lipstick tube. “May I?”

She nodded. Asami got about a foot away from her and held her chin steady, focused on her lips. Truthfully, Korra felt more self conscious now than she had when she realized she’d just stripped down to her underwear.

Asami finished up, but she didn’t move away. Korra really didn’t mind that she lingered. Her eyes went from her lips, to her eyes, and back down to her lips. Korra stayed frozen in place, wondering if what she _wanted_ to happen was about to happen…

Okay. So Korra was now 99% sure that she no longer had to wonder if Asami was attracted to women.

Asami, seemingly reluctantly, dropped her hand and gestured to the mirror. “What do you think?”

It was a subtle pink, just enough to stand out. Korra actually really liked it. “It’s lovely. Thank you.”

Asami gave her a small smile and grabbed her purse.

“Ready to go?”

***

Dinner was _phenomenal._ Korra couldn’t remember the last time she ate so well.

Conversation flowed as freely as ever. The waiter had mistaken them as a couple - and really, Korra honestly couldn’t blame the poor man - and after a brief moment of embarrassment, they both recovered well. Asami picked up the check and left the tip even though Korra put up a small fight (“I invited _you_ out after all, you dork”). It really had been a lovely evening, and they decided to hunt down a Starbucks for some dessert coffee.

As they walked outside, Korra realized she had left her phone at the table. “Be right back!” she said as she half jogged back inside.

When she came back out, she saw that a middle aged, balding man had Asami cornered - looking a little _too_ forward with his advances. Korra was positive that Asami could handle her own, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have her back.

She had an idea. _Well, if we passed as a couple to the waiter_ … Maybe the man would be deterred if he knew she was unavailable.

She walked up to Asami and slid an arm around her waist. “Hey, love,” She kissed Asami’s cheek for good measure. “You ready? I hope this gentleman hasn’t been bothering you.” She turned to the man in question. “Thanks for looking out for my girlfriend, but I’ll take it from here.”

It took Asami only a split second to catch on. “Yeah, let’s go sweetie.” she said, giving Korra a sweet smile. She laced her fingers with Korra’s around her waist.

“Ohhh, so we got a couple of _queers,_ ” the man half laughed. Korra was now on high alert, tightening her grip on Asami. She turned Asami around, steering her towards the car. She had every intention of ignoring him until he grabbed Asami’s arm. “Guess you two just haven’t met the right dick yet. Maybe I can help y’all out with that, sweethearts.”

Asami spoke first, ripping her arm out of his grasp. “We’re leaving. I suggest you do the same.” Her eyes on the man were both threatening and unyielding, giving him not an ounce of fear.

Again, Korra tried to move them in the direction of the car. He reached out and grabbed Asami again. “Maybe I wasn’t being clear,” he said while he moved his jacket to the side, revealing a pistol in a concealed holster.

Asami froze, eyes wide with terror.

Korra didn’t even think. She just acted. Instantly, she stepped in front of Asami in a protective stance, shielding her from this disgusting excuse of a man.

“No, maybe I wasn’t being clear with _you,”_ Korra said, rage barely concealed in her voice. “Leave us alone now. This is your last chance.”

The man barked a laugh and said, “Oh yeah? We gonna wrestle it out or something? I’d prefer the tall chick, but you’d do well enough.”

Something snapped in Korra, and she let loose every ounce of anger she had kept under lock and key for 25 years. He wasn’t about to lay a hand on her _or_ her Asami. Korra took a step forward, and the man must have had some ounce of survival instinct, because he stepped back.

“Let me point out to you that you know _nothing_ about me. You don’t know what I’m capable of, what I could do to you, or even if I’m carrying a gun myself. If you want to take that risk and lay one more hand on _either_ of us, go right ahead. I swore I’d never go back to prison, but you make one more wrong move, I’ll be going back _tonight_. Choice is yours, pal.” She continued to advance, venom flooding her words. “Last chance. _Back. The. Fuck. Up.”_

Korra stood her ground, determined to fight if necessary. She’d taken self defense classes and was confident that she could disarm him if necessary, or at least take the blow to keep Asami from harm.

No one was laying a finger on her Asami. Not as long as she had breath in her lungs. She wouldn’t allow it.

The man huffed in Korra’s face. “Whatever, buncha bitches,” he said as he sauntered off.

After he was out of sight, Korra turned around to Asami. _Oh no,_ she thought as she saw her trembling. _The gun._

Korra put a strong arm around her waist and led her to the car. Asami didn’t say a word. Korra held the passenger door open and helped her inside.

Once Korra got in, she locked the doors and put a hand on Asami’s cheek. Her eyes were still wide with fear, frozen. “Asami, look at me.”

She slowly looked at Korra’s eyes. She seemed to relax a little, but not by much. “Asami, I know you’re not okay, but you’re safe. I promise. I’m here with you. I’ve got you.” Korra grabbed her hand. “Please, just give me one moment.”

She pulled out her phone and dialed the police, giving them a full description of the man and what had happened. Just as she had before, she kept Asami’s hand in hers and she shifted the car into gear and drove them back to the hotel. Arm never leaving her waist, Korra led Asami back to their room.

Once they got inside, Asami collapsed into Korra’s arms, sobbing.

——-

Asami couldn’t hold it together anymore. She fell apart, and Korra was there to catch her.

Korra held her for a few minutes, then led her to sit down on the bed. Asami was hyperventilating. She couldn’t speak. Korra knelt down in front of her, rubbing her arms.

“Hey… hey, you’re okay. There’s nothing wrong with being afraid, Asami. And there’s nothing wrong with showing it. Let it out all you need to.” She continued to rub Asami’s arms, trying to bring comfort to her. “Can you look at me?”

Asami met her gaze. “Can you focus on my breath?” She moved Asami’s hand to her chest as it rose and fell. “Breathe with me.”

She did. And in about a minute, Asami had calmed down enough to speak. “Korra, _I’m so sorry,”_ she said as tears continued to pour down her cheeks. Why couldn’t she get a grip?

“No one should ever apologize for having a panic attack, especially after what you shared with me today.” She got up quickly and grabbed the box of tissues from the bathroom. “You have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed of.”

Asami grabbed a few tissues and focused on her breath. She had a thought, and she had to ask. “Korra?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you really been to prison?”

Korra hung her head and gave a small laugh. “Oh, hell no. I was just attempting some reverse psychology on that jackass. I figured his brain was small enough that it would work.”

That relieved her mind a bit. She had a hard time picturing Korra being a badass in prison. But the way she changed, going from light to dark so quickly… Asami needed to know where that came from.

“Oh good,” Asami said while attempting a smile. It was easier while she looked at Korra. “Can I ask you something else?”

Korra answered quickly. “Anything.”

“How did you… how did you make yourself so convincingly threatening? That just seems so opposite of who you are, but it seemed so… _real.”_

Korra took a deep breath. “You opened up to me, and I respect the hell out of that. Of course I’ll open up to you too.” She stood up. “It might take a while to explain. How about we get comfy? It’ll give me a minute to gather my thoughts.”

Before she turned around, she put a hand to Asami’s cheek again, her thumb lightly stroking her cheekbone. “You okay, though?”

Asami leaned into her touch, not even caring how vulnerable that made her seem, not caring if that revealed any of her feelings for Korra. “Yeah. I think I’m okay now.”

Lingering for a moment more, Korra grabbed her pajamas from her bag. “I’ll change in the bathroom this time,” she said while rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.

Asami laughed with her, but she couldn’t help but think she wished Korra felt comfortable enough to change in front of her again.

***

A few minutes later, Korra was relaxed on her bed, in the same pajamas as the night before. While Asami had changed in the bathroom, Korra had taken that opportunity to run down the hall and find a vending machine to grab them some candy bars for dessert since they never got their Starbucks. Asami wasn’t even surprised that Korra remembered she liked Reese’s cups.

Standing between the two beds, Asami hesitated before settling into her own. She still felt pretty shook up, and she missed the comfort of having Korra close to her.

Korra seemed to read her mind. “Come here,” she said as she scooted over and opened her arms. Asami didn’t even think about it when she settled into Korra’s side, head on her shoulder. Korra put an arm around Asami’s back.

When did such an intimate position start to feel so normal?

“So,” Korra said when they got settled. “I’m not sure where to begin, but I’ll do my best.”

Korra spoke of her childhood, of how her home life hadn’t always been the best. For as long as she remembered, her home had never been peaceful, and her parents fought more often than not.

“I was a pretty angry kid,” she said as she sighed. Asami’s heart went out to her, trying to show her the same understanding that Korra had endlessly shown her. “I didn’t know how to process what I felt, so it all came out as anger. I would throw things, scream, run off… I just felt so much, and I didn’t know what to do with any of it. My house was never peaceful enough to give me enough time to figure it out.”

Korra explained that while she had never been physically abused, her father has been emotionally and psychologically abusive to her whole family. “For so long, I hated him. I hated what he put us through. I hated everything. For a long time, I hated myself.”

Asami sat up and looked at her face. How could someone who radiated pure goodness like Korra carry so much darkness in her heart?

“One day, I decided I was done with everything. I gave up on kindness, on happiness, on compassion, everything,” she said as she ran a hand through her hair. “If the world had given up on me, I decided that maybe I’d just give up on the world too.”

Pain was all over Korra’s face at remembering this. Asami couldn’t stop herself. She tucked Korra’s hair behind her ear and held her face, like Korra had with her earlier. Korra leaned into her touch, too. “Don’t feel like you have to continue,” Asami said softly.

“No, it’s okay. This is the part where it gets better.” Asami sat up and took Korra’s hand. If she could offer her one ounce of comfort that Korra had already given her, she would freely give it.

Korra continued. “One day, I was walking down the sidewalk and someone smiled at me. For the first time ever, I didn’t smile back. I didn’t make it 20 more feet before I succumbed to how wrong that felt. So I made up my mind then. The darkness I felt would not be allowed to swallow me whole anymore. I decided to become bright enough to fight it. That’s why I became a counselor. To help people fight their own darkness too. Whatever I could do to help bring a little more balance and light into the world.”

Asami gripped Korra’s hand to emphasize what she was about to say. “No wonder you make such a good counselor.”

“I do my best, but it still breaks my heart when my help isn’t enough for someone,” she said as she sat up, keeping her hand in Asami’s.

Asami wasn’t sure of what to say. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”

“Thanks for being such a good listener.”

They sat there for a moment, just looking at each other. Just as she was about to suggest that they find something to watch on tv, Korra spoke.

“Hey, so, um…” Korra was looking down at their hands that were still clasped together. “Am I crazy, or does this feel… normal?”

Asami smiled genuinely, more relieved than she realized that one of them had finally mentioned their obvious connection. “I don’t think you’re crazy.”

“Thank goodness,” Korra said. “I never want to do anything to make you uncomfortable, but it just seems to come so naturally with you. I don’t understand it, but I’m not fighting it either,” she said with a smirk.

“I don’t want you to fight it.” Asami had never meant words more in her life. She looked deep into Korra’s bright blue eyes. Before she knew it, she was leaning in, eyes never leaving hers.

Korra leaned in too, but stopped short and rested her forehead on Asami’s, closing her eyes. “Asami,” she whispered. “You’ve been so vulnerable tonight. I don’t want to take advantage of that. I respect you more than that.” Korra trailed the tip of her nose over Asami’s.

Asami couldn’t hide her smile. It was impossible. She had _never_ felt more cared for than by the woman across from her. “It feels like we’ve known each other more than just a few days, doesn’t it?”

Korra leaned back slightly, just enough to look her in the eyes. “It feels like I’ve known you forever.”

Their lips felt like magnets, but even she admitted that she didn’t want their first kiss to be tainted by the memory of the events that preceded it. Asami decided a good tease was in order.

“We all know you’re just romancing me so I’ll buy you a Dairy Queen.”

Korra threw her head back and laughed heartily. “ _Whatever_ Smarty Britches! You’re just after me for my good looks!”

“Hard to argue you there with that ass of yours.”

Korra responded in the only appropriate way - by grabbing a pillow and hurling it towards Asami, instigating a pillow fight.

Asami couldn’t remember the last time she felt so free.


	5. Chapter 5

_Korra was wrapped in her arms, swaying to the tune of “Blue Moon” by Glen Gray in her San Francisco apartment. Giant windows all around her living room showed the city lights as the sun was setting, their bare feet on the shaggy carpet._

_With their cheeks pressed together, just enjoying holding each other, Asami began to sing._

_“Blue moon, you saw me standing alone,_

_Without a dream in my heart,_

_Without a love of my own.”_

_She put a hand to Korra’s cheek, desperately needing to see those blue eyes she so adored._

_“Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for_

_You heard me saying a prayer for_

_Someone I really could care for.“_

_Asami never dreamed she could feel so at peace. She never imagined that the hands of her love, so lovingly caressing the small of her back through her shirt, could make her feel so alive._

_“And then there suddenly appeared before me_

_The only one my arms will ever hold_

_I heard somebody whisper ‘Please adore me’_

_And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold!”_

_Just like the sun, Korra illuminated everything in Asami’s life. Colors seemed more vibrant now, as if everything had been gray before she knew Korra’s love._

_“Blue moon!_

_Now I'm no longer alone_

_Without a dream in my heart_

_Without a love of my own.”_

_When she finished singing, Korra ran her fingers through Asami’s hair and drew her in for a soft kiss on her lips._

_Asami never intended to let her go._

***

Sighing as she awoke, Asami so very much wanted to keep that dream going. Normally, once she was awake, she was ready to go and start the day - but this morning, she wanted to linger in her drowsiness.

She wanted to imagine what it might really be like to hold Korra in her arms, just as she had in her dream. How wonderful it felt, how right. It had felt so _real_ she could hardly rationalize it.

Something tickled her nose, and she opened her eyes.

No wonder it felt so real. One arm under Korra’s head, her other securely around her middle, she literally _was_ holding her.

Her heart felt like it might explode from joy. And again, she thought - _why isn’t this weird? I’ve known this woman for only a few days._

Her subconscious begged the question she was too afraid to formalize into words - _is this what it feels like to find your soulmate?_

She didn’t think it was a coincidence she had sung “Blue Moon” to Korra in her dream. The more she considered it, the more she realized that while that song had always been special to her, it’s almost like Korra had given the words a complete new meaning.

Korra took a deep breath, and Asami could tell she was about to wake up herself. She remained as still as possible, ignoring how her arm was completely numb, so that Korra could stay as comfortable as possible for as long as she wanted.

Doubt crept in, however, as she tried to remember how they had ended up in this position in the first place. She remembered falling asleep next to her while they watched a movie, and Korra must have turned off the tv and lights. That must have meant that she’d chosen to get back into the bed with Asami, but… surely they hadn’t fallen asleep tangled up together like this.

Had she grabbed her and pulled her in while she dreamt? What if this was too close, too much for Korra? Last night she had been _so_ sure to make Asami feel respected and had taken such care to not take advantage of her vulnerability.

Doubt won, and Asami gently started to ease away, trying her best not to wake Korra. She stopped when Korra spoke, her voice thick with sleep.

“Hey… where are you going?” She grabbed Asami’s hand and cuddled it back around her middle, nuzzling back into Asami. She felt Korra sigh in contentment.

There her heart went again, threatening to burst. Korra _wanted_ her there.

Might as well give her what she wants.

She squeezed Korra a little tighter for a moment, pressing her face into the back of Korra’s hair. She smelled so nice and fresh, but she couldn’t quite place the scent.

“Mmm… What kind of shampoo do you use? I like it.”

Korra laughed softly. “The cheap stuff. I think I may have grabbed something apple scented last time I bought it.”

Neither of them moved. It was clear as the day beginning outside that neither of them wanted to.

After a few minutes, Korra broke the silence. “Never pegged myself as a little spoon, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it.”

Asami went after one of Korra’s ribs in response, looking for a tickle spot. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll have your fair share of chances to be the big spoon too.”

Korra squirmed out of Asami’s grasp, fighting for control, and finally pinned her down, straddling her. Her face was as red as could be when she said quietly, “You mean that? You’re okay with there being more of… this?”

Asami was desperately trying to pay attention to Korra’s words, and not the fact that a beautiful woman was on top of her in a bed. After all, she _was_ just a woman, and she couldn’t deny that the desire was there. She noticed Korra’s tattoo again, and all she could think was how much she wanted to lean up and press her lips to it.

Korra took her momentary silence all wrong. She looked painfully bashful when she started to slide off to the side. “I’m sorry, that was too forward a thing for me to do. I just… I’m just…”

Before she could finish, Asami grabbed her leg and maneuvered on top of her, flipping her on her back. Korra looked up and blinked, her eyes wide. Feeling _far_ too seductive for either of their own good, she placed both her hands on either side of Korra’s head and leaned in slowly. “Does it look like _I’m_ sorry?” Her voice came out an octave lower than she intended. Oh well - she was having a hard time maintaining her usual ladylike composure.

Korra gulped in response. She opened her mouth, but closed it again and simply shook her head. Asami noted something in Korra’s eyes that wasn’t quite panic, but there was an urgency that Asami hadn’t seen before.

That didn’t help Asami’s self control _at all._

Today was a new day, and she decided that she had a new game in mind. Forget blushing - she wanted to see how long Korra could go without kissing her _first._

Korra’s gaze kept falling back to her lips. Asami could tell she was trying not to, but she decided to be a _little_ cruel. She licked her lips, and she felt Korra draw a quick breath before trying to recollect herself.

Asami made a bet with herself that Korra would kiss her by lunch at the latest.

She was having too much fun, but she also didn’t want to overdo it. Leaning back and sliding off the bed to stand up and stretch, purposefully exposing a bit of her midriff, Asami could practically feel Korra’s eyes on her.

Raising a hand up to tousle her hair, Asami let her hands fall back to her side and looked back at Korra. “So. Breakfast before we hit the road?”

——-

_What was Asami doing to her?_

Korra was about to lose her mind.

Just because she’d never been intimate with another woman before didn’t mean she didn’t want to be. And when Asami so much as _looked_ at her right now, oh, how she wanted to be intimate with this woman.

Korra swore Asami was just messing with her, pushing her to her limit, then backing off. Asami seemed to be making her intentions clear, but was clearly leaving the ball in Korra’s court. Almost like she was seeing how much she could handle before she caved. They’d seemed to agree that last night hadn’t been the right time, but now it seemed like it was fair game.

But what she didn’t know was that _two_ could play this game.

As they were getting ready, Korra watched Asami meticulously apply her makeup in the mirror. She had an idea.

She walked up behind where she was sitting and saw her eyes flick up to her. She gave a brief smile before refocusing on her work.

Korra intended to be ruthless, but in the sweetest way possible. “You know,” she said as she gathered Asami’s hair in her hands, “I really liked it when you wore your hair up the other day.” She began to brush her fingers through her hair, starting at her roots and working all the way down to the ends.

“Oh yeah? I may have noticed you stealing a few glances.” Asami may have been good at keeping herself in check, but Korra caught her eyes fluttering. She upped her game, just a little.

Korra started trailing her fingers, ever so lightly, across Asami’s neck. “What can I say - I found it a little irresistible.” Korra continued with her fingers across her neck, just enough to tease her. She saw Asami’s head slump forward in relaxation, ever so slightly.

“Mhm.” Asami fumbled a bit while putting the cap back on her mascara.

Korra leaned down to her ear, letting her hands trail down her skin to her shoulders. “Mhm.”

She let her hands fall away and turned around. She heard Asami let out a shaky breath before she continued with her lipstick.

***

Making their way to the car, Korra grabbed Asami’s luggage before she could protest and hoisted it in the trunk. Korra was aware of how Asami got a little flustered at the sight of her muscles, so she decided to use the warmer day to her advantage. In her sleeveless shirt that was cut low enough on the sides to reveal her bra and torso (it was actually one of her workout shirts, but she didn’t think Asami would mind), she saw Asami eyeing her as she lifted the bag with one arm.

The war was on, and Korra wasn’t going down without a fight.

Once she secured the bags in the trunk, she made a show of grabbing the driver’s side door for Asami. “Allow me,” she said with an exaggerated flourish of her arms.

“How very kind of you,” Asami said as she tousled Korra’s hair in a playful way, making her bangs fall all in her face.

“My pleasure,” Korra said as she shut the door and blew her bangs out of her eyes. Did she really just hear Asami whisper, “Oh, not yet”? _Ohhh_ how she hoped so. It was all she could do to keep from skipping around to the other side of the car. What was she supposed to do with all of this pent up energy?

Direct it at her formidable opponent, she supposed.

Once she got buckled in, she made a point to get in a relaxed stance by putting her hands behind her head, giving Asami a full view of what she was trying so hard not to look at.

Asami made good use of that by quickly reaching over and saying, “ _There’s_ that rib I was after this morning!” She needled her fingers right around her tickle spot, making Korra dissolve into giggles.

Damn, she was good. Korra hadn’t planned on it backfiring - but feeling Asami’s hand on her bare skin wasn’t a complete loss.

Just as Korra had, Asami left her hand on the gearshift, daring Korra to take it. Another plan forming in her mind, she decided to take her up on it.

Asami looked a little too smug, but she didn’t mind. She had no idea what was coming next.

Korra wanted her to get relaxed, so she just held her hand firmly in her own lap. She needed to distract her from what Korra’s hands were about to do. “I have an idea!”

“Oh yeah?” She shot Korra a quick glance. “What’s that?”

“Let’s play 20 questions. There’s still so much we don’t know about each other.”

Asami smiled. “That sounds fun, actually. You first.”

Korra thought for a moment. Best to start small. “Favorite season?”

“Fall. Yours?”

“Winter.”

She gave Asami a moment, and she soon followed Korra’s question. “Favorite animal?”

“Hmm,” she thought. “Polar bears.”

“Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that. Why?”

“Because they like the cold, like I do, and they’re just so big and fluffy. Plus they’re like, super strong. One time I had a dream that my dog, Naga, was like half polar bear half dog. So I could ride her around and stuff. It was awesome.” Korra loved the amusement in Asami’s eyes. “What’s yours?”

“Um,” she nodded her head around, like she was bouncing ideas around, considering her options. “Horses. Because they don’t call it horsepower for nothing.”

Korra began tracing light circles around Asami’s palm. She saw her eyebrows raise slightly, but hit her with her next question to keep her distracted. “Since you like driving so much, I assume you love cars. Do you have a favorite?”

Asami physically brightened as she said, “Oh, yeah! 1967 Mustang Fastback. Pure American muscle.”

Korra thought this might be a topic that she had a lot to say about, so she followed up that question with a similar one. “And do you have one of those?” She already knew the answer.

Asami started talking as fast as a kid telling Santa what she wanted for Christmas. “I do! It’s painted black with red accents, _so_ gorgeous. My dad and I built it together when I was a teenager, and I can still picture the hunk of junk it was when we bought it. There’s no telling how many hours we spent fixing it up. We put a V8 in it, then we added twin turbos later. You should feel the torque when you floor it. It’s incredible.”

Korra fought aside all of her brewing suggestive comments about Asami “taking her for a ride,” but instead just decided to express her interest. Korra began tracing the lines on Asami’s palms, doing her best to tantalize her with her touch. “Is it a manual too?”

“Yep, 4 speed. When you get going down the road it just feels like you’re flying, but it’s an indescribable feeling to be in charge of so much power.” Asami looked over at her, hesitating for only the briefest of moments. “I’d love to share it with you one day.”

“I’d love that.” Korra’s fingers traced their way up to the soft skin of Asami’s wrist. Asami wasn’t protesting in the slightest.

“Okay, you just asked me like 3 questions,” Asami said while keeping her eyes on the road, giving Korra _nothing._ Well, maybe not nothing. When she looked over, she noticed a twinge of pink on her cheeks. “My turn.”

“Shoot.”

“Where did you go to school?”

“Small local high school, then the University of Alabama for undergrad and grad school. I didn’t necessarily want to stay local for college, but I felt obligated to stick close to help out on the farm. Plus I got a scholarship, so it just worked out.” Korra began to make her touches a little more firm, almost massaging her forearm.

She heard Asami let out a breath. Finally she said, “That’s nice.” Korra wasn’t sure if she was responding to what Korra had said, or if she was saying that about what Korra was doing.

“What did you major in?”

“Human development and family studies for undergrad, marriage and family therapy for grad. Really broadened how I understand people.”

“Hmm, I’m sure.” Asami seemed to be losing focus. Time to withdraw, leaving her wanting.

Korra removed her hands and placed Asami’s hand on her leg, not wanting to give up her touch entirely. Korra lifted both her hands up to put her hair in a small ponytail, even though she knew it wouldn’t stay up for long. She took her time, running her hands through her hair.

When she was done and Asami realized her teasing was over, she threw Korra a stink eye but didn’t say anything. Before she could, Korra asked, “What about you? Where did you go to school?”

“MIT for undergrad, mechanical engineering. Then Berkeley for a masters in business administration.”

“You’re one of those people who graduated super early, aren’t you?”

Asami scratched the side of her head, giving a noncommittal shrug. “Maybe. Hey, I had a company to run, so I may have expedited the process a little.”

“Can’t say I blame you there.” Korra spoke without thinking. “You’re pretty amazing, you know.”

Asami gasped, feigning pleasant surprise. “You think I’m pretty?”

Korra couldn’t help herself. She took Asami’s hand again. “That’s hardly a secret.”

——-

Korra had game, Asami had to admit.

Teasing back and forth the whole car ride, she wasn’t sure who was winning at this point, but truthfully, she felt like they were both starting to lose their resolve. Or at least, Asami sure was.

In the last few hours they had learned so much more about each other. Dream superpowers (flying for Asami, being able to control the four elements for Korra), country they had always wanted to visit (Iceland for Korra, Japan for Asami), and favorite drinks (red wine for Asami, strawberry daiquiri for Korra) just to name a few.

They arrived in Meridian, MS a little after lunchtime. Stepping out of the car, Asami had a thought. She realized that she had assumptive plans for where she would stay that evening, but no actual, concrete, discussed and agreed upon by all parties plan. How very unlike her.

_Is this what they mean when your head is in the clouds?_

Asami didn’t want to pressure Korra, but she was wondering if Korra was hesitant to offer. As timid as she seemed about being “too forward” and trying to keep Asami comfortable, she really wondered where Korra stood on her staying at her house with her tonight.

“So, Korra,” she began as they made their way down the sidewalk towards a small cafe. Korra turned her head to give Asami her attention. Asami really loved how attentive she was - it made her feel important as _Asami,_ not Asami Sato, CEO of Future Industries. “What’s the plan for this evening?”

Korra cleared her throat, holding the door for Asami to step through. “Um, I know what I’d prefer, but I was actually just about to check with you.”

It was seat yourself, so they found a table for two. “I’m all ears.” She encouraged Korra with a smile as genuine as she could make it, which honestly wasn’t hard at all.

The blush was back. Would she ever tire of it?

Korra looked at the menu while she spoke. “I, um… I mean, there are plenty of hotels around, and that’s fine if you’d rather stay at one, or even if you wanted to keep driving to Atlanta and stay there, yeah, but, um… you know, if you like you could… I don’t want to assume you want to, but I just want you to know you’re welcome to, um…”

Asami was learning that when Korra was nervous, she rambled. And it was precious in every way, knowing that her heartfelt consideration for Asami was the center of it, her desire to make her feel both respected and wanted. At this realization, Asami practically became a puddle.

“Korra, would you mind terribly if I stayed with you tonight? I don’t want to put you out, but you did say you wanted me to meet Naga.”

Korra put her hands on either side of her face, looking smitten as a kitten playing badminton. Asami could practically see the hearts in her eyes. “I’d love for you to stay with me.”

“Great,” Asami said, propping her chin on her hand while looking down at her own menu. Her stomach was nothing but butterflies, but she and Korra could get stuck in a “who’s mooning harder over the other one” competition really quick. Best to distract herself. “Glad we’re on the same page.”

***

“Korra, why don’t you sound more… _Southern?_ I mean I’ve heard you say stuff here and there, but that waitress had such a strong accent. Why don’t you?”

Korra snorted, a laugh escaping her mouth. “Here’s the thing. I have every capacity of sounding like that, and I used to. When I got to college, I realized people took me more seriously when I didn’t pronounce the drawl as much. So I conditioned myself to sound more ‘proper,’” she said while using air quotes. “But don’t get me wrong. It still comes out guns-a-blazing sometimes, especially when I’m mad.”

Asami hoped she got to see that. Well, maybe not Korra mad at _her,_ but then again, if she had a future with her then it was inevitable, and wait, was she planning a future with her? She couldn’t imagine one without her at this point, and maybe -

Her train of thought was interrupted when Korra stopped. “Just one sec.”

Korra bent down, and Asami thought she was tying her shoe. But she was wrong.

Next to them was a pile of fresh mulch, waiting to be spread out into the shrubbery beside them. Somehow, Korra had noticed a lone earthworm wriggling on the cement.

“Hey there, little fella,” she said while she gently placed it in her hand. “Let’s get you home.” She put the earthworm back into the dirt, and Asami watched it wiggle away.

_This woman._ Asami was hit with the realization that wherever this caring woman was, this woman who was so compassionate, forgiving, strong, selfless, and so many more wonderful things that she couldn’t wait to learn, she wanted to be there too.

Even with all her riches, Asami felt like she finally struck gold.

Korra caught the serious look on her face. “Sorry if you think that’s gross, I just think all life is precious, and I try to -“

She didn’t get to finish, because as soon as she stood up, Asami took Korra’s face in her hands and kissed her, trying to convey everything she felt.

And only after a brief moment of surprise, Korra wrapped her arms around Asami and kissed her back.

It seemed as if they were trying to speak the same language, to communicate what they couldn’t put into words. At first the kiss was firm, adamant, a release of tension - but after a minute it slowed and softened. After she pulled away, she saw that the emotion behind it had left them both a little breathless.

“ _Finally,”_ Korra said while grinning from ear to ear. “I kind of thought we were in this game of who could break first, but I guess you were just trying to keep me in suspense to surprise me.” She kissed Asami again, lightly, briefly. “Worth the wait.”

Asami shook her head, incredulous at how Korra couldn’t see just how not only her body was irresistible, but more so her heart. “Nope, I was fully intending to torture you endlessly until you caved.”

Korra looked at her with her head tilted to the side, like a puppy. It was _adorable._ “It was the shirt, huh? I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist.” She pulled Asami a little tighter as she shrugged.

Asami couldn’t take it. She kissed Korra again, backing her up to the wall of a building. She didn’t hold back, and she felt Korra eagerly respond. After a minute or two, Asami pulled back and peppered her face with kisses all over, unable to contain herself. Then, she said, “Korra. It was the worm.”

Korra’s eyebrows shot to her hairline as she was trying her best not to laugh. “The _worm?_ Well, uh, I guess we were bound to learn each other’s kinks sooner or later, but, um…” she let out a snicker and tried to cover it by clearing her throat.

Smacking her arm, Asami had to laugh too at Korra’s assumption. She could see where she’d been a bit unclear. “Not like _that,”_ she said while she grabbed Korra’s hand and started leading them back to the car. “Your heart behind the action of you picking up the worm to move it back to safety. That spoke volumes about you, Korra. And I don’t know. I caved.” She snuck a kiss to her cheek. “Usually I’m a sore loser, but not this time.”

As Korra opened the passenger door for her, looking as soft as Asami had ever seen her. “Lucky me,” she said as she leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead.

———-

Korra was on cloud nine.

The electricity, the sparks, the fireworks she felt behind that kiss were still exploding in the most colorful, vivid way imaginable. It took everything in her to not pull over and kiss her again, again, and again.

Asami seemed to be having the same problem, because she had a hand on Korra’s at all times. Currently, she was resting her arm across Korra’s shoulder, running her hands through her hair.

“I texted my friend, Bolin, this morning that I’d be back by this afternoon. He said he handled everything for me before he left, so that should leave me free to show you around and give you the grand tour,” Korra said while leaning into Asami’s touch. “And to make you dinner.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Asami said while looking over at Korra. “I could have something delivered for us if you’d like.”

Korra shook her head. “Tsk tsk tsk. My dear Asami, you have a lot to learn about where I live. Unfortunately, that won’t be possible. I live too far away from anything.”

“Aw,” Asami said while gazing over at her, her feelings plastered on her face. “You have my full permission to address me like that whenever you like. It made me feel… warm.” She moved her fingers across Korra’s cheek.

Korra turned her head to kiss her fingers. “You got it.” Truthfully, Korra wasn’t sure _what_ to call Asami. What were they? Clearly they meant a lot to each other, and it seemed like this wasn’t just a fling for either of them, but were they girlfriends? The thought made her tummy flutter.

She wanted to be Asami’s girlfriend. She wanted Asami to be hers. But she wasn’t sure if titles like that mattered, and she wasn’t about to spring _that_ conversation on Asami. They’d figure it out together.

_Together…_ that sounded wonderful.

***

Turning onto the long, dirt road she called her driveway, she reached over and laced her fingers with Asami’s. She couldn’t wait to share her home, her most favorite place in the world, with her.

During the drive, Korra and Asami discussed the logistics of Asami making it to her meeting in Atlanta tomorrow. If Asami left by 7:00am, she would have plenty of time to account for any mishaps that may happen and be able to get to her meeting in plenty of time and not feel rushed. What happened after Asami’s meeting, however, they hadn’t discussed. Korra decided to leave it open.

She caught Asami looking out the windows, taking it all in. She gave her hand a light squeeze, hoping that Asami would come to love it as much as she did.

Huge oaks and pines lined the road, and the afternoon sun poured through the fresh new leaves that must have come back while Korra had been gone. Daffodils had begun to bloom as well, and her camellias were blooming in abundance, dark pink against all the green.

While winter was Korra’s favorite for the cold, she couldn’t deny that spring was special in its own right. Everything bursting back to life, the explosion of colors, the shifting of the sun to signal longer days - and as she looked over at Asami’s soft smile and crinkled eyes, she thought that maybe spring was blooming in her heart too.

They pulled up to Korra’s house and she shut off the engine. Her house was simple, almost a cottage style with light blue siding and wooden shutters. The wooden front door had a big green wreath on it, looking as welcoming as ever. Holly bushes lined the front, and a swing sat on the front porch, inviting anyone and everyone to sit. Her white Jeep Wrangler was parked next to the house, mud splattered all over it as usual. Just over the hill behind her house, the barn was blocked off by a barbed wire fence.

“Naga! Here girl!” Korra gave a loud whistle, and her monster of a dog barreled around the house to greet her. “Hey! Hey, I missed you too.” Naga practically knocked Korra over in her enthusiastic greeting, licking her all over.

Asami walked up and held out her hand for Naga to sniff. “Hi there. I’ve heard wonderful things about you.”

Naga nosed her hand then almost knocked her over too. Asami held her ground, laughing. “Well, hello! Korra, she’s _huge.”_

“Sorry! Let me get her,” she pulled Naga off of Asami and gave her a big pet all over. Naga must have heard something in the woods, because her ears perked up and she ran off on her next mission.

“She’s cute,” Asami said while brushing the hair off of her clothes.

“She must like you. Normally she’s a little wary of strangers.” Korra had always heard dogs were good judges of character. Now she believed it.

She led Asami up the front steps and through the door. “Home sweet home.” She noted how Asami looked around, taking it all in. She had a strange look on her face, and Korra decided to give her a moment before asking.

Her front door led right into the living room. Her house wasn’t much - maybe 1200 square feet at best - but Korra had always loved it. It was built in an older style, with 3 small bedrooms on the left side of the house, with the living room and kitchen on the right, separated by a hallway with a single bathroom at the end. What Korra loved most about it was the windows - each room had as many windows as it possibly could. There was even a window in her shower, though she did keep the blinds closed on that one. She didn’t have any neighbors for at least a mile, but still. She guessed the original builders of the house were trying to capitalize as much as possible on natural light.

“Hey,” she said as Asami turned to her. “Do you mind having a seat for a moment? I know Bolin probably left the house in good shape, but… you know. He’s a boy. Different standards of cleanliness sometimes.”

Asami gave an understanding nod. “Couldn’t understand more. I’ll check some work emails for a few minutes. I’ll wait for you here until you give the all clear?”

“You’re the best.”

Korra checked the bedrooms first. Beds made.

Bathroom next. All clean, not even a towel on the floor.

Kitchen? Spick and span.

She may order Bolin _two_ new sets of boots. She’d have to call and thank him later.

When she came back through to the living room, Asami looked focused. She’d taken her shoes off and crossed her feet under her, hugging a pillow, typing on her phone. She was endearingly cute when she was all focused.

“I don’t want to interrupt,” Korra said as she leaned against the doorframe. “But we’re good to go.”

Asami left her phone open, signaling she wasn’t quite done yet. However, that didn’t stop her from standing up and wrapping Korra in a hug. “Thank you so much for having me. I don’t know what it is about this place, but something about it makes me feel more at home than I’ve felt in a very long time.”

That explained the strange look. _I hope it’s me_ , Korra thought to herself.

She returned the hug, unconsciously deciding that she would let Asami end it when she was ready. She didn’t know what she might be feeling, but she wanted her to feel safe and supported regardless.

Asami released her after a moment, a look of embarrassment on her face. “I hope me saying that wasn’t weird. I’m sorry if it was.”

Korra took one of her hands. “Not weird in the slightest. I pride myself in making my home exceptionally homey, so it feels nice to have that noticed, actually.”

Asami looked down and smiled at their hands. “Okay, good. Just wanted to be sure.”

Korra gave her hand a squeeze before releasing it, grabbing their bags from where they had set them inside the door. “Let’s get you settled, yeah?”

Asami followed her down the hallway. Korra used the first bedroom as a catch all room, the second as a guest room, and the last as her own. She wasn’t sure if Asami would prefer the guest room, because Korra didn’t want to assume, but she did have a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn’t prefer the guest room at all. She set Asami’s bag in between the two rooms and turned to face her. Best not to assume.

“Okay,” she said, trying to seem confident and not at all bashful like she felt. “Here’s the guest room, and here’s my room. I don’t want to assume anything, and I want you to feel as comfortable here as possible. Wherever you move your bag to, that’s how it’ll be.”

Korra had hardly finished speaking before Asami set her bag inside Korra’s room. “Is… that okay with you?”

Korra decided to tease. “Well it looks like I don’t have much of a choice, now do I?” She pulled Asami into her arms, kissing her cheek. “Whatever will I do?” She kissed her other cheek. “Have to share a bed with a beautiful woman?” She kissed her nose. “This has got to be the worst day I’ve ever had.” She kissed her forehead. “Poor pitiful me.” She kissed her lips.

She felt Asami melt into her. “Oh, you like it. You know you do.”

“Whatever gave it away?” She kissed the underside of Asami’s jaw. “Surely not this.” She worked her way down her neck. “Or this.” She put her lips to her ear, barely whispering. “I have a hunch you like it too.”

She had successfully made Asami lose her train of thought. This was fun. She wondered what else she could do to make her flustered.

Asami looked at her, eyes slightly glazed. “Korra, you haven’t the slightest idea.” Korra felt her hands gripping the back of her shirt. With a deep breath, she released.

“How about I go fix us some dinner, and you can catch up on whatever you need to? I’ll come get you when it’s ready.”

“That would be wonderful. I’m a bit more behind than I thought,” she said while running her hands across Korra’s back. “But how I’ll focus after _that,_ I’ll never know.”

———-

Just as everything else with Korra, Asami couldn’t explain it. Something about Korra’s house felt more like home than her own apartment did.

She couldn’t put her finger on it. Was it the way there was no real decor theme, just a myriad of pictures and colors and items that Korra clearly loved, like nature paintings, lamps of various shapes and sizes, and fake flower arrangements everywhere? There was no cohesion at all, but it seemed to be an extension of Korra herself. Even the wall colors, soft yellows, blues, and greens, made the house seem so inviting. She thought of her own apartment, professionally decorated by the best interior designers, and just now realized how little of her personality it really showed. Where Asami’s style was for function, Korra’s was for expression.

Everything was still set for her meeting tomorrow, and her assistant, Jinora, had done a phenomenal job in keeping things running smoothly in her absence. Fielding everything that wasn’t absolutely urgent, Jinora had only bothered her with the essentials. Asami found herself caught up in no time. She decided to give her a substantial raise when she returned - clearly, she’d earned it.

As she answered emails and made a few phone calls, she heard Korra rummaging around in the kitchen. The clatter of pots and pans, the closing of cabinets, and the flow of the sink every now and then only solidified the homey feel Asami already felt. How had she not realized how lonely she had been before Korra?

_The smell_ \- she hadn’t realized how hungry she was until Korra started dinner. She had no clue what she was making, but it smelled divine.

Asami had the slightest of views into the kitchen from where she was settled on the couch, and every now and then she would catch Korra sneaking glances at her. Once, she caught her eye and they shared a smile. Comfort flooded her like it never had before.

She wasn’t sure how all of this had happened so suddenly, but she couldn’t be more thankful that she’d been stranded in LA. She didn’t ever really believe in fate - but maybe now she did.

About a half hour later, Korra poked her head out of the kitchen doorway. “It’s ready whenever you reach a stopping point! Or would you prefer me to bring you some? I know your work is important. I’d hate to get in the way.” She brushed her bangs out of her eyes, waiting for her response.

Asami got up and walked towards her, putting a hand to her face and kissing her cheek. She just couldn’t seem to keep her hands off her for long. “I could use a break. I’m almost caught up, so I think I could actually consider myself done for the evening.” She tousled Korra’s bangs back into her face. “So I can focus on more important things.” She flipped the apron Korra was wearing up over her head. “Like the best ways to annoy my new girlfriend.”

_I just called her my girlfriend._ Asami froze and looked at Korra, trying to figure out a way to apologize for the assumption.

Korra did look surprised - but only for a moment. Before Asami could speak, she strolled past her to the sink, a mischievous grin on her face. “So that’s what I am, huh? Your girlfriend?” She crossed her arms and leaned back, doing her best to look exasperated, but she was having a hard time hiding her smile. She huffed for effect. “Well… I _guess_ I can look past you not formally asking me, but it _will_ have to be my official repayment for the blueberry.” She leaned back against the sink, winking at Asami. “Your call, I guess.”

Somehow, Korra constantly put her at ease, always going with the flow. In this moment, when she was so afraid she’d stuck her foot in her mouth, she’d never been more grateful for it.

Asami walked over to her, wrapping her arms around her neck. Korra rested her hands on her hips and looked at her playfully. “So what’ll be, Smarty Britches? You think you really want _me_ for a girlfriend?”

“Well,” she said as she shrugged. “I think it would be the smartest decision I ever made.”

Korra leaned in, unable to contain her smile. Asami looked at her eyes, seeing so much joy and care in them. She was sure hers looked the same. She closed the last few inches and kissed her softly, a tender promise that she hoped Korra could feel.

Korra grabbed her face, and pushed her away to look her in the face fully. “Thank _god_ we don’t have to have _that_ conversation about ‘what are we,’” she chuckled. “I’ve been trying to figure out a way to casually slip it in all day.”

Just as she finished speaking, Asami saw an idea flicker behind her eyes. Before she could ask, Korra spoke again.

“So… my dear Asami _,”_ she said as if she were up to something. Asami arched an eyebrow, waiting. “Being your girlfriend gives me special privileges, right?”

Asami’s mind rifled through all that she could mean by _privileges._ They were about to share a room together again tonight, and her mind was going wild with the possibilities. She didn’t know what Korra had in mind, but she sure knew what she was thinking herself. “In theory, I suppose so, yeah.”

Before she could blink, Korra dipped her finger in the sauce on the stove. “Like I can do…” she smeared it on Asami’s nose. “ _This_ without you getting mad?”

Korra gave her a lopsided smile, and even though she called on every bit of resolve to keep a straight face, she failed miserably.

She wasn’t sure what she was in for with having Korra for a girlfriend, but she was all too ready to find out.

***

After dinner, Asami helped Korra wash the dishes and put everything away. They talked the whole time. Korra made her pasta primavera (“I remembered you liked pasta, so I had to substitute a few things for what I had but I think it turned out!”) and Asami was again struck by her thoughtfulness. She wanted to learn as much about Korra as possible, so she asked as many questions as she could think of while they worked together in the kitchen. She discovered that Korra loved to bake, had played every sport imaginable, loved to hike, ice skate, and play mini golf, and that she had plans to go skydiving one day.

Korra offered for her to shower first so she could go feed Naga and do her last check on her animals for the night. While she showered, her thoughts wandered. She wondered what it would be like for Korra to _join_ her for a shower. Her heart raced at the possibility of that one day happening. She had gotten a hint of what Korra had to offer when she’d accidentally changed in front of her in the hotel, but from the way her heart was pounding, she wondered if she wouldn’t faint at the sight of Korra fully. Not sure of where Korra stood on the matter, she rinsed off in ice cold water before getting out, trying to get a grip.

It was late, so Asami went ahead and put on her pajamas and waited for Korra in her room. A big bookshelf was against one wall, packed full of all kinds of books and cds. The furniture was mismatched - a wooden bed frame and a white dresser with a mirror and a small blue nightstand. The headboard of the bed was pushed against a set of double windows with a cozy floral quilt thrown over it. On the pale yellow walls, there was an old movie poster for _Roman Holiday_ and a large piece of framed glass with pressed wildflowers.

She sat on the edge of the bed, taking in the room. When Korra came back in, she stopped in her bedroom doorway and opened her mouth to speak, but something stopped her. Blushing furiously, she said a quiet “I’ll be out in just a minute.”

She wondered if Korra’s thoughts were anywhere near where her own was. From that blush, she didn’t think she really had to wonder.

A few minutes later, she heard the bathroom door open. Asami set her phone to the side, waiting to greet her as she came in.

“Okay, so um - Asami?” Her tone sounded worried.

Had she done something to make her uncomfortable? Should she offer to stay in the guest room? “Yeah, Korra?”

“I, uh - I’m not used to having someone else here. I forgot to grab clothes. Could you, um, maybe close your eyes?”

Asami couldn’t help but laugh. She was _adorable._ “If that would make you most comfortable, sure. Turning around now.” She heard Korra’s bare feet on the floor, a scramble through her drawers to grab some clothes. “You know,” she said while Korra opened and shut drawers, “I’m sure a towel would be more modest than the underwear I’ve already seen you in anyway.”

Korra snorted in response. “Never living _that_ one down.”

“Never.”

She came back in a moment later wearing an old gray sports t-shirt that said “Lucille Lions” and blue plaid bottoms. Even so casual, she still looked beautiful.

“Sorry I don’t have anything super sexy for you yet,” she said while running her hand along the back of her neck. “I’m afraid my only style here is comfy.” She settled on the other side of the bed, looking a little nervous.

While Asami was trying to think of something to say or do to put her at ease, Korra said, “Can I - can I um… can I talk to you about something?”

“Of course. You can talk to me about anything.”

Korra nodded and settled herself back against the headboard, hugging a pillow. She didn’t look any less nervous. “Okay. I just - I believe in open communication in a relationship. So I think it’s best we get off on the right foot early.”

Asami was really starting to wonder where this was going. She thought about lightening the mood with a tease, but she decided now wasn’t the time. “I definitely agree.”

“Okay, good. I’ll just… spit it out.” Her fists were clenched tight around the pillow. “I’ve, um… you see, I’ve never been with a woman before. Honestly, I knew I was attracted to women too, but I was still trying to figure out my sexuality. Then you happened.”

Unsure of exactly what she meant, she nodded encouragingly for Korra to continue.

Korra looked her in the eyes, and Asami could tell she felt incredibly scared and vulnerable. “I stopped questioning when I met you. You made it so clear.” Then, Korra threw a hand over her face. “ _God,_ that sounded like such a line. It wasn’t meant to be a line. I just meant -“

“Korra. Me too.” Asami was determined to be open with her as well. She wanted this, whatever they had, to go the distance. “I’ve never been opposed to being with a woman, and I’ve dated plenty of men. I couldn’t tell you why I’ve never been with a woman, but work has just kept me so busy the last few years I can’t say I’ve dated much at all. But I guess I always just kind of knew I was bisexual. I’ve never really been open about it to anyone though.” She looked down, now fully understanding how vulnerable Korra felt. Talking about this felt like exposing a part of herself she’d never allowed anyone else to see.

“I’ve dated men too, and I’m not opposed to it. I guess bisexual is the right term for me too.” Her grip was beginning to loosen on the pillow. “It’s just so strange to talk about it. I never have before.”

“I never have either, so I know how you feel.”

“But I need you to know something,” Korra said while taking her hand. “I’ve never felt like this towards another person before. This… connection. I can’t explain it.”

Squeezing her hand, Asami said, “Another thing we have in common.”

Korra released the pillow altogether. Crossing her legs under her, she turned to face Asami, putting their hands in her lap. She turned Asami’s hand over, studying the lines as she spoke. “Can I… talk about one more thing?”

“Anything and everything.” Asami tried to look at her eyes, but she was only able to catch a glimpse with her head bent. Ducking her own head a little to look at Korra a little better, she saw that Korra was trying to hide her red face. “Hey,” she said while lifting Korra’s chin. “This is new territory for me too.”

She noticed Korra’s hands getting a little sweaty, but she didn’t mind. Whatever was on Korra’s mind was clearly troubling her, and she wanted to be there for her in every sense of the word.

Korra bit her lower lip, closing her eyes for a moment. She took a breath as she opened them, steeling herself.

“Asami, I’ve never wanted to be with someone more than I want to be with you. In, um, you know… um, _that_ way.” She quickly looked back down, almost as if she were ashamed. Asami couldn’t for the life of her figure out why.

“Yet another thing we have in common.” Asami took control of their hands, running slow, soft fingers against the inside of Korra’s wrist. She remembered how much it had tingled when Korra had done it to her, and she hoped it had the same effect.

Korra looked up, tentatively. “Really? You mean that?”

Asami let out a small laugh and shrugged. “Couldn’t hide it if I tried. Why do you think it took me so long to answer your question this morning when you were on top of me? Looking at you like that, in that position, my train of thought completely derailed.”

Korra opened up Asami’s hands and bent her head down so that her face was resting in them. As she kissed Asami’s palm, she said, “Nice to know I’m not the only one.”

Leaning her head down to place a kiss on Korra’s damp hair, she sighed. “If you only knew what’s been running through my mind. All the things I want to do with you. All the things I want to give you, to share with you.” She took in the smell of her shampoo again, just as she had this morning. “You’d never believe what I was thinking while I was in the shower. I’m almost embarrassed.”

“You _too?”_ She let out a breath, a shadow of a laugh. “So, I mean… do you think we’re ready for that?” Before Asami could answer, she sat up and looked her in the face. “You’re unbelievably beautiful, and I can’t imagine how many people have looked only to see that one side of you. How many people must have tried to get close to you just so they could get close to your body. I never want to make you feel that way. I’m here for your heart - the rest is just a bonus.”

There it went again - Asami’s heart pounding at Korra’s utmost concern for _her,_ not the Asami she presented to everyone else. She couldn’t help herself - she kissed Korra, trying to convey her appreciation for her never ending thoughtfulness.

She pulled away, and she saw how Korra’s eyes stayed closed for a moment longer than necessary. “You’re not wrong. As rich as I am, that didn’t stop men from making me feel pretty cheap sometimes.” She admired those caring blue eyes again. “But I can’t even imagine you making me feel that way. All you’ve ever made me feel is seen, important, and cared for. And I’ve only known you a week!” She snickered. “Imagine how you could make me feel after a few weeks, or months?” She hesitated, but decided to say it. “Or… years?”

Korra smiled. “I hope you give me the chance to.”

She kissed Korra again. This was becoming a habit she had no desire to break. She didn’t think that Korra minded, either. “I won’t lie. I _want_ you, Korra.” She held her gaze. “But if you’re not ready, I want you as you are.”

Korra looked at her for almost a solid minute, barely even blinking. Asami let her take her time.

“You’ve got to know I want you too. Please say I’ve made that obvious.”

She took Korra’s hand. “You definitely have.”

“Good, good.” She looked down again, but when she looked back up, she had that playful gleam in her eyes that Asami was coming to both love and fear.

She tucked Asami’s hair behind her ear, holding her hand around the back of her neck. She leaned in for another kiss, a little more energy behind it than their last few kisses. Asami responded to show that she had her attention.

“Even if we’re not _ready,”_ she said as she kissed Asami again. “That doesn’t mean,” another kiss, “that we can’t,” another kiss, “get to know each other a little better.” She leaned back a little, pecking her lips to Asami’s nose. Her eyes were begging for permission. “Unless you oppose.”

_As if I could ever._ “I want you to feel as comfortable with me as possible,” Asami said while placing her hands on either side of Korra’s face, kissing her a little more roughly. “So I feel it’s probably best you have a chance to see what you might be getting yourself into.”

The playful gleam in Korra’s eyes turned to fire, and Asami had never once experienced such a rush.


	6. Chapter 6

When she awoke, the first thing she noted was the swollen feeling in her lips. Then she remembered just _why_ they felt so swollen. She smiled into her pillow, feeling positively giddy.

She checked her phone and saw that her alarm was set to go off in 6 minutes. She went ahead and turned it off, then rolled over to find Korra. To her surprise, she wasn’t there. Instead, on the pillow next to her was a note.

It was folded in half, and on the front she saw her name written with a small heart drawn underneath it.

_My dear Asami,_

_I hope to be back before you get up, but if not I wanted to let you know why I wasn’t still in bed holding you. Believe me, that’s where I’d rather be, but farm work starts early. If this is something I can get used to - sharing my bed with you - then I’m just going to have to put my animals on a new schedule._

_I went ahead and made a pot of coffee, so please help yourself to whatever I have. I plan to make you breakfast before you go._

_Can’t stop thinking about you._

_Korra_

Asami looked up to the ceiling, wondering what she’d done to deserve a chance with this woman.

Hauling herself out of bed, she got up and found her pajama top on the floor. While they didn’t go all the way, they’d certainly had fun. Before she slipped her shirt back on, she saw a hickey Korra had left on her chest. Come to think of it, Korra had stayed away from her neck almost entirely. She’d have to ask Korra about that later. Had she not made it obvious that she liked Korra kissing her neck? She thought she had.

By the time Korra came back in, she was on her second cup of coffee, and her hair and makeup were done. She intended to change into her professional clothes at the last minute so she wouldn’t accidentally spill something on them.

“Good morning,” she said as she stepped out of her boots. Asami couldn’t wait for Korra to make her way over, so wrapped Korra in a hug before she could even shrug out of her coat. “Looks like someone missed me too.”

Asami felt no need to hide it. Truthfully - she didn’t feel like she had to hide anything from Korra. “You have no idea.”

They shared a kiss, and then Asami went serious. “I have a bone to pick with you,” She was still holding Korra around her middle. “I don’t intend to let go until I get some answers.”

Korra smirked. “Not much motivation for me to answer any questions.”

Asami noted the bruises along Korra’s neck and jaw. Knowing that she was the one who caused them shot electricity to her very core.

“Clearly, there is evidence of the fun we had last night on _you,”_ she said as she endeavored to maintain her composure, slowly working her fingers over the light bruises. “But,” she said as she moved her hair from around her neck, “you think you can just tease me with little kisses on my neck here and there, then just leave me hanging?”

Smiling as she looked at Asami’s neck, it seemed as if she were playing along with Asami’s serious tone. “Hmm, let me see,” she said as she trailed her nose lightly along her neck. “I seem to remember kissing here, here, and here.”

Asami shivered, her face cracking into a grin.

“But if my gorgeous girlfriend wants something a little more rough next time, I’ll happily comply. As long as she doesn’t have an important meeting the next day where a few love bites might look… unprofessional.”

The thought hadn’t even crossed her mind. Korra was 100% right. To know that even in the heat of the moment, Korra _still_ had her back in every way - Asami could hardly believe it.

“Korra, your thoughtfulness is a scientific anomaly.” she said as she shook her head. She released Korra and poured her a cup of coffee. Handing it to her, she leaned in and placed a kiss on Korra’s cheek.

Korra laughed. “Tell me something I don’t know.” She ran a hand through her hair, and Asami saw where she hadn’t quite worked all the tangles out from their night before. Before she could get riled up again just thinking about it, she decided she needed a definitive distraction. “So, breakfast?”

——-

She had been going through the motions all morning, her hands doing the work that needed to be done, but her mind was still in bed.

Catching her alarm before it could wake Asami, Korra had taken an extra moment to take her in as she slept. Looking at her, Korra felt like her heart just couldn’t contain everything she felt. It was like being on a roller coaster, watching a beautiful sunrise, and that blissful first sip of coffee in the morning all rolled into one.

Dark hair splayed across the pillow, long lashes on closed eyes, pink lips that she had fully explored the night before. Even asleep, she looked happy. As she crawled out of bed, she tucked the quilt around Asami’s shoulders and placed a soft kiss on her temple.

Now she watched her as she rolled her bag to the front door. Korra couldn’t seem to put into words how much this week had changed her life, how much she cared for her after only such a short time, and how she wasn’t ready for it to end. Facing her usual dilemma, she wasn’t sure how deep she could get. “So, what are your plans for after your meeting?”

Asami looked like she had a lot to say too, but was trying to rein it all in as well. Her eyes seemed pained, like she was trying to hold back a flood of emotion. “Well, sometimes these meetings can last for hours. I’m not sure how late it will go. I can… I can keep you updated though. If you want.”

“Yeah, please do.” Korra noticed that her pearl necklace needed adjusting on her neck. Without thinking, she moved the clasp back to where it belonged beneath Asami’s hair. The action put them much closer than they had been before. That one small action had felt strangely intimate. Their eyes met.

“Korra -“

“Asami -“

They spoke at the same time and both tried to be courteous and let the other go first. Korra’s determination to be polite won.

“Korra, I’ll be honest with you. I don’t know what the hell happened this week.” Her smile was incredulous as she shook her head, taking Korra’s hand in hers and bringing it up to her chest. “I miss a flight and find… this. You.” She kissed Korra’s hand and held her gaze. “I don’t want to lose you when reality sets in, when I walk out that door and become Asami Sato, CEO again.”

Korra noticed Asami’s eyes watering. “Hey,” she said as she saw Asami look away, trying to hide it. “You have nothing to worry about. As long as you’ll have me, I’m not going anywhere.” She kissed Asami lightly, reassuringly. “I don’t know what happened either. But I’m so, so happy it did.”

“Me too. It just seems so… I don’t know. Unreal. Like I’m going to walk out there and blink and you’ll be gone.”

Korra had an idea. Taking Asami’s face in her hands, she kissed her forehead. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

Korra ran back to her room, rummaging through one of her drawers until she found what she was after. Rushing back to Asami, she stopped in front of her and took her hand. “Okay, so this might be corny. This might be stupid, and that’s okay. But if you ever need any reminding that what we have is real, I want you to have this for when I’m not there to tell you.”

Turning Asami’s hand over, she placed a small charm in her palm. It was a small, gold sun.

Running her fingers along Asami’s neck, she asked for permission. “May I?”

Asami nodded, closing her eyes. Korra placed the charm on her necklace next to the pearl and resituated her hair back to perfection.

“Thank you. I just… I don’t know how to… I just want…” She sighed when her words failed her. “Words fail me when I’m trying to tell you how I feel.”

Korra understood. Not everyone was good with words, especially when they were feeling vulnerable. She put her hands on either side of Asami’s neck, drawing her in. “Sometimes actions speak louder than words.”

She didn’t have to tell Asami twice. Her lips crashed into Korra’s, and for a minute nothing else existed.

When Asami reluctantly pulled away, Korra spoke first. “See? I heard you loud and clear.”

Asami sighed again. “I really should go. I don’t want to be late.”

“Yeah, absolutely.” Korra wrapped her in a tight hug, burying her face in her shoulder. “Be careful, please. Shoot me a text when you make it safely?”

“I will.” She stepped out the door, and turned around to Korra once more. “I don’t know how we’ll make the distance work, but I’m willing if you are.”

Korra gave an exaggerated eye roll. “ _Willing?_ You know you can’t get rid of me now, right?” Korra kissed her again. She couldn’t help herself. Those crimson lips were becoming her Siren call. “I’d hunt you down, woman.”

Seeing that Asami needed a push, Korra grabbed her bag and put it in the trunk of the car. “But seriously, you don’t have to worry about a thing. Just call me after your meeting and we’ll go from there.” She opened the door for Asami and she sat down behind the wheel.

Asami grabbed Korra’s shirt and pulled her down. Eye to eye, she said in a low, vulnerable voice, “I like you. I like you more than I like engines and mechanics and fast cars, and anything money can buy me. I like you so much it scares me a little. I’ve never wanted to be with another person the way I want to be with you. Please know that.”

Korra’s resilience was failing her. All she wanted to do was to scoop her up in her arms, hold her tight, and never let her go. “Asami, I feel the same way. Please know _that_. So what if we defy logic? Can’t deny what’s there.” She kissed Asami’s cheek. “I’ll wait up for your call. I’ll want to hear all about it. Now, go get ‘em, Smarty Britches.”

———-

Driving without Korra wasn’t near as fun, but it did afford her crucial time that she needed to clear her head for this meeting. Even with all of her distractions this week, with not being focused on work hardly at all, she had never felt more confident and prepared going into this meeting.

And she knew it was because of Korra.

How could she feel so empowered by another person? How could she feel this confident, now knowing that she had someone in her corner that wanted her for _her?_ Security washed over her in waves.

As she drove, she thought about how different she had felt this week. How _alive_ she had felt in comparison to the last several years. How could she have missed the darkness she was surrounded in? Losing herself in work, hiding behind deadlines and projects and contracts, all the while failing to truly connect with anyone. Korra had seemed to make up for that. Out of nowhere, she had lit up Asami’s life like a sunrise after a long, lonely night.

Logic was her middle name, but in light of this past week that defied _all_ logic, she found herself abandoning rationality. For the first time, maybe it wasn’t needed.

The bond she shared with Korra didn’t have to make sense for it to exist. She was determined to give it enough room to just… be.

She turned on Paramore, Korra’s favorite band, and drove.

***

6:03pm. They’d been at this meeting for 5 hours and had made little headway. Suyin, the CEO of Zaofu Corporation, was just as formidable and headstrong as Asami. She couldn’t help but respect that. Women in positions such as theirs had to be.

Essentially, to manufacture a new line of Future Industry projects that ranged from toasters to missile weapons, they needed a significant portion of Zaofu Corp’s supply of steel. Not wanting to lose control of one of her major assets that kept her company successful, Suyin wasn’t impressed by any sum of money that Asami offered her.

Future Industries needed this for their next phase of development. The next several years of her company’s market distribution counted on it. If this fell through, she wasn’t sure what would happen next. Weeks and months of work hell were in store for her if she and her team of developers had to redesign everything.

“Look, Asami.” Suyin rubbed her temples as she leaned forward on the table. “I want to do business with you. You seem more capable and easier to work with than any other company that’s tried to throw us a load of cash to get what they want from us. But past experiences have told me to keep a tight hold on what gives my company it’s cutting edge. Control isn’t something that I can leverage. Money isn’t what’s going to make me budge. What kind of control can you offer me so that I can ensure my own company’s success? How do I know that Future Industries won’t bleed our resources dry and leave us with nothing in 5 years?”

Asami paced around the room, contemplating her options. She knew where Suyin was coming from. Control was something she wouldn’t sacrifice for profit, either. So what option did that leave? “Suyin, let’s take a coffee break to brainstorm on our own. We’ve been at this awhile. I hear everything you’re saying and I don’t negate its importance in the slightest. One female executive to another, I understand and respect you not budging on needing to maintain your control. Let’s clear our heads and reconvene in 15 minutes? Perhaps we can come up with something that would be mutually beneficial.”

Suyin nodded and left the room. Asami checked her phone for the time and saw she had a text from Korra.

_You got this! If anyone can do it, it’s you. Don’t forget you’re a powerhouse with an even more powerful brain. I believe in you, Smarty Britches. :)_

Never once had she received type of support - not since her mother had died. Not since she’d taken over Future Industries. And what a difference it made.

With renewed vigor, Asami called Jinora, her assistant. On the West coast it was still within business hours. “Hey, Jinora. Will you go into my office and pull a few files for me? I’ve got a problem that needs solving. Any ideas you’ve got, throw them my way.”

In only a few short minutes, Jinora had done some more research and found out a bit more about Zaofu Corp’s steel manufacturing model. Asami had been able to come up with a proposition that she wasn’t sure Suyin could refuse. She decided that she was going to promote Jinora from assistant to consultant as well as give her a raise. Competency like hers was hard to come by.

When Suyin came back in, she looked refreshed from their break. “Alright, Asami. What have you been able to come up with? I’ll admit that I’m still stumped. Zaofu Corp needs this deal for the increased profits and market exposure, but I can’t budge on my need to keep my company’s main assets under my control.”

“I have a proposition for you,” Asami said as she settled herself across the table from her. Glancing down at her notes, she continued. “Instead of buying out a portion of your assets, I propose a company merger. Future Industries will buy a share in your company with the benefit of having access to your steel production plants, while we give you access to our distribution market. Your company’s exposure will increase, which will increase your business, and being associated with Future Industries will increase your company’s credibility. My company’s success speaks for itself.”

Suyin rubbed her chin, thinking deeply. “I see where this might work, but what of my control over my own company? In making this deal, do I forego my company being its own entity?”

“Not even in the slightest. Consider Future Industries a backer of Zaofu Corp, not an owner. I can have my legal team draw up new contracts that detail my intent fully. After your review, you can make your informed decision.”

“That sounds reasonable. Thank you for your consideration. There’s one more thing, though. Something important that I must be sure to not overlook.”

Asami raised her eyebrows, signaling that she was listening.

“One of my main goals of my company is to ensure a quality work environment for all my employees, from the least to the greatest. I pride myself in making Zaofu Corp one of the safest companies in employee rights protection. How can I be sure that Future Industries will uphold that standard within my company?”

Asami was beginning to respect her new colleague more and more. How could she deny the importance of loyalty to her employees? She herself strives to maintain the same within her own company. “I will ensure that a competent liaison oversees the merger at your steel plants to maintain the precedent you have set in place, even if I must do it myself to earn your trust and respect.” Suyin nodded in acknowledgement. “For my knowledge and coordination if you agree to this proposed plan, where are your steel plants? Here in Atlanta?”

“No, no. Actually our plants and operating offices are located in Birmingham, Alabama. The steel industry has had a commanding presence there for many years, and I found it much more economic to set up production there. I have this main office in Atlanta to be close to my family.”

Sometime while Suyin had been speaking, Asami had moved her fingers over the sun charm Korra had given her. How long had it taken Asami to get to Birmingham from Korra’s on her way to Atlanta? Less than an hour. If she just offered to be the liaison between their two companies for this merger, that would put her close to Korra for the next several months, perhaps even the next year.

Asami was believing in fate more by the moment. How could she make this up?

“Asami, you’ve been a pleasure to work with so far and I don’t see that changing. Have your people draw up some new contracts and we can meet again to discuss the specifics. If the numbers line up and you’re true to your word, I don’t see why we won’t be in business.” She rose and shook Asami’s hand. “Thank you for your consideration in the matters that are important to me. I hope I’ve conveyed that the respect is mutual.” She glanced up at the clock on the wall, reading almost 7pm. “Shall I have my assistant make hotel arrangements for you for the evening?”

Outwardly she was all professionalism, but inwardly she was cartwheeling around the room. “Thank you, but no thank you. I have arrangements already made.”

She couldn’t wait to deliver this news to Korra in person. Even though their relationship hadn’t existed long, it’s depth was undeniable. She knew that Korra would welcome her back into her home without question.

As soon as Suyin left the room, Asami couldn’t pack up her materials fast enough.

———-

A little after 10pm, Korra allowed herself to start worrying a bit. She knew Asami said that these meetings could last hours, but this long? That couldn’t be a good sign. She thought about sending her another text, but she’d read the last one without responding. Korra didn’t want to bother her.

She kept the house a little chilly to save on her power bill, and normally she didn’t mind. Tonight, however, she decided to put on her favorite hoodie and grab some hot tea. Since Asami left, Korra was faced with an emptiness in her home that she’d never noticed before. Settling in on the couch, she decided to find something on Netflix to pass the time. She wasn’t sure that she’d be able to sleep without hearing from Asami.

About a half hour later, Korra was halfway through a show that she couldn’t say she’d paid any attention to. Her mind was on other important things.

_Do I call her? Is that okay? Surely meetings don’t go_ this _late… isn’t that unprofessional? But I can’t call her. I don’t want to seem clingy. She’ll call when she can… right? But I want her to know I care. Maybe another text would be okay. Yeah, something just casual. Don’t make it a big deal. She’s fine. She can handle her own. She can -_

A pair of headlights outside broke her train of thought. Before she could set her tea down to look out the window, she heard a knock on her door. _It couldn’t possibly…_

She opened the door, and there stood the star of her thoughts. Asami had come back to her. She wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing, but she knew just seeing her again so soon was good for her. Even still, she was sure that the shock was on her face.

Asami looked flushed and her face broke into a huge smile. “Korra!” She raised her arms up for a hug, but then something stopped her. Her face set itself back to the professional default. “Oh no, I just realized I really should have called. I don’t know, I just acted. How unlike me, what was I thinking? Korra, I’m sorry for springing myself on you like this. I was on the phone with various people from my company discussing details the entire drive here and -”

Korra stepped forward and put a hand to her cheek, squinting a little as if she were trying to find something. “Hold on, you’ve got a little _professionalism_ on your face.” She kissed her thoroughly on the lips and smiled with her mouth still on Asami’s. “Don’t worry, I got it.”

Asami melted back into her smile and threw her arms around Korra. “You’re never going to believe what’s happened. I can’t wait to tell you everything!”

They were still standing in her front door. As warm as she made Korra feel, it was still cold outside. She grabbed Asami’s hips and steered her around. “Then get yourself in here!”

Shutting the door behind them, Asami kicked off her shoes and headed straight for the kitchen. “Any of that pasta left? I’m starved.”

“Help yourself, I think there should be plenty left.” Words failed when Korra tried to put words to what she was feeling. Knowing that one kiss from her had put Asami right at ease, feeling right at home - Korra positively treasured it.

A few minutes and a few stolen kisses later, they settled onto the couch. Asami had her pasta, and Korra had refilled her tea. “Okay, so, spill the -“ Korra took a sip, “tea.” She grinned behind her cup.

“You’re cute.” Asami looked at her softly, and moved to put her legs across Korra’s lap. “How much detail do you want?”

“As much as you want to tell me.”

Asami told her everything, and every time she started to glaze over certain parts of how brilliant she was, Korra asked for specifics.

“Asami, that’s amazing! I knew you could do anything. I can tell you’re so excited about it. I’m really proud of you.” Korra squeezed her leg with her hand.

Asami smiled cautiously. “I haven’t told you the best part yet.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Well, my board members agree that the best person to be the Birmingham liaison is the one who leveraged the deal.”

_Wait a second._ Did that mean…

“Wait, hold on, I -“ Korra decided to just ask. “Are you moving to Birmingham, Asami?”

Asami put a hand over her mouth, hiding her smile. “Look, I know it may seem sudden. To me it seems too good to be true. But, I’m not trying to be all creepy on you by managing to find an opportunity to move myself across the country to be so close to you. It won’t be permanent, but a couple months to a year should give us time to get to know each other better.”

Korra opened her mouth to speak, even though she felt speechless. Asami stopped her. “Now hear me out. We’ve known each other a week, I know. But I calculated it in my head on the drive over, and really if you think about it, with the amount of time we’ve spent together this week, if we’d actually been dating each other, like one or two dates a week that lasted say 2 hours each, it’s like we’ve been dating already for approximately 9 months.”

Korra couldn’t help herself. “Have I ever told you that I think your brain is incredibly sexy?”

Asami blushed. “No, I don’t think you’d mentioned that yet.”

Without saying anything, Korra took Asami’s bowl and set it on the coffee table. She placed her now empty tea cup beside it.

“Okay. So tell me that you’re moving to Birmingham again.”

Asami quirked a brow but did as Korra asked, questioning all in her tone. “Korra, I’m very likely moving to Birmi - “

Before she could get the full sentence out, Korra pulled Asami into her lap and was bear hugging her. “ _Asamiiiiiii!”_ Korra squealed. “This is the best news _ever!”_

Asami giggled and settled herself on top of Korra, straddling her. “You’re sure it’s not weird? I mean I’ll get an apartment in town -“

“You should stay with me instead.”

“And I’ll only come over when invited -“

“I mean you like to drive anyway right? 45 minutes there and back won’t be too bad.”

“And I won’t make you feel obligated to spend time with me -“

“I’ll have a key to my house made for you Monday.”

“And I mean I’ll have to go back to San Francisco here and there but -“ Korra could see that her words had caught up to Asami’s brain. “ _Did I really just hear all that?”_

“I can say it again if you like.”

“You’re sure? That’s what you want? I won’t be imposing on you?”

Korra wrapped her arms around her, letting her fingers trace delicate lines and shapes across the small of her back. “I can honestly say I’ve never wanted anything more. After you left this morning, I realized you filled an emptiness in this house I didn’t even know was there until I found you.”

Looking into Korra’s eyes, she could see the calculations Asami was running through. Korra held her gaze. She meant what she said, and she was determined to make her believe it.

“I’ll pay you rent.”

“Hmm… sounds fair. Don’t you want to hear my rate though? Might be a little pricey.”

Asami rolled her eyes. “Try me.”

“I want you to let me support you, care for you, make you laugh, and make you smile. I want you to be okay with me kissing you good morning and good night, and I want to share everything I love with you.” Korra kissed her, and she noted that Asami looked a little dazed.

“Is that all? I think I can manage.”

“Oh yeah, and one bag of Doritos a month at _least._ But since you’re cute I’ll share. And you’ll probably have to meet my parents at some point, but that’ll be chill. They’ll love you.”

Asami nodded, weighing Korra’s words with false seriousness. “Anything else?”

“Just a few more things. I like corny jokes, so get ready for those. And sometimes I run out of shampoo, so I may have to borrow yours sometimes. And I like to cuddle at night, so I’ll probably end up chasing you all over the bed in my sleep.”

“Sounds just awful. How will I ever agree to such unreasonable terms?” Had Asami’s eyes ever looked so bright? Pure joy radiated from them.

Korra ran her hands up Asami’s arms and shrugged. “These are my terms.”

Asami leaned down and gave Korra a lingering kiss. “I agree to all said terms.”

“I was kinda hoping you’d say that.”

Leaning back, Asami stretched out and sighed. “One more thing, though.”

Korra played with the buttons on Asami’s blouse. “Oh yeah?”

“I’m going to have to go home and get some things. I’ve been wearing the same clothes for a week.”

Moving her fingers under her shirt, Korra languidly ran her fingers over Asami’s skin. “I hear you. Flights are still canceled though.”

Asami ran her hands through Korra’s hair. She closed her eyes and relaxed into her touch. Leaning back down, Asami put her lips to Korra’s ear. “I don’t know if I can convince you to take some more vacation time, but…” she placed a kiss on Korra’s ear. “Want to take a road trip?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I’m adding a collection of one shots to go along with this fic, but I haven’t figured out how to join them to this main fic yet in a collection. Feel free to check it out!


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